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| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.9 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 9 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Dr S on 4/7/2023: For mine, the 2006 is one of the top three Wendouree Shiraz vintages of the 2000s. The 2002 and 2004 are the other two, although the surprisingly regal 2008 challenges and the 2009 makes the case for a more elegant expression (and one where being under screwcap does many favours, as we shall see shortly).
Amid many bloody good wines (the thrilling pair of new Rockford Rieslings living up to the hype of the 2022 vintage, a lovely poised 2012 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier etc), this was supposed to be the Easter highlight. After the powerful 2006 Malbec (that rose above a leaky cork) last weekend and imposing Shiraz Malbec last year, expectations were high.
And yet. On opening, an oak hit was the first note to appear. Savoury, seasoned, not sweet or creamy, but apart from a walnut character not Wendouree. Not the usual fruit leading the wood or coal dust or iron or gum. Nor cocoa dusting in the rare instances where oak shows in younger Wendouree. Some deep dark fruit lurked somewhere within. Later a pleasing salty flavour emerged, but over three nights the fruit failed to kick in to compensate.
Despite that, the nose had an inviting mellowness. As hard as I tried or wanted to, I couldn't embrace the palate. It seemed oak grainy - not skin or seed tannin grainy - even drying.
The 2004 Shiraz also didn't live up to expectations, but it displayed ripe boisterous fruit, with rumours of oxidation suggesting cork malpractice. The cork looked good on opening the 2006 but I can't help think corky voodoo must have been at fault. Other TNs speak of a riper, fruit-driven wine. This bottle seemed atypical.
If served blind, I would have picked it as an older Sth Australian grandee. Not my thing but pretty good. I took a tip from a CTer who suggested the 06 Shiraz Malbec responded well in a Riedel burgundy glass. I normally use the burg shape for only cool climate Shiraz, not warmer styles. But this wine looked best out of the burgundy. It seemed to smooth the palate's texture and fill any gaps from the oaky dryness.
I still have faith in this vintage, and Wendouree's potent longevity. A verdict can only be arrived at after another bottle, perhaps with the 2002 and 2004 for comparison. (625 views) | | | Tasted by nwebstar on 11/24/2021 & rated 95 points: My first Wendouree Shiraz and didn’t disappoint. Outshone Rockfords in its freshness and structure. Had both power and poise. Red and black fruit. Dry herbs. Wonderful purity and tautness. (804 views) | | | Tasted by Screwcaps on 3/21/2021 & rated 95 points: Initial note. Gorgeous, start of leather and mushroom tertiary notes. But still very fresh. Med bodied, perky acidity and red fruit, and trademark menthol and rusty earth notes. Finishes with white pepper and salt. Wine will outlive the cork this vintage, 3/4 way up on one side- same as last bottle.
Will save half for tomorrow.
Took about an hour to drink well. I need to remember to stand these older Wendy’s up the day before- they always throw a huge sediment.
On day two, has not moved too much. The structural components much more harmonious (acidity and tannin) and the fruit more in the softer strawberry spectrum than red cherry night before. Shared with the Duck, completely agree, this is in an ideal drinking window. Excellent to outstanding, drinks like fine Burgundy with a wide fan of flavour and fine tannin, and sappy and soft red fruit. 95. Drink now to 3 years but stand up and filter well in to decanter. (900 views) | | | Tasted by Darke Peak on 8/28/2020 & rated 96 points: Event: 20 years of Wendouree Shiraz. Very closed compared to neighbouring vintages (04, 05, 08). More petite. But give it time to air. Advise decant 3-4 hours. Great length. Like watching a flower open. Drink now to 2027. (900 views) | | | Tasted by Screwcaps on 6/27/2019 & rated 94 points: Some development, loads of measured power. Delicious and mouth filling. Liquorice, herbal, dusty cocoa tannins filled with voluptuous strawberry. Mint only a touch. Tannins completely rollled in to the wine. Delicious. I want a whole bottle. To myself. Morrish. 4.5 out of 5. Drink Now to 10 years. (1127 views) | | | Tasted by Matt@5453 on 8/12/2018 & rated 93 points: Visually the wine is starting to brick around the edges. Aromas of menthol, cedar, florals and a touch of gum leaf. Flavours of red berries, earth, iron, graphite, plums, cranberry and cedar. On the palate there is a driving spine of bright acidity which dances on the tongue, backed up with loads of fine mouth coating tannin. The finish was medium to long.
A guest bought this over for lunch. It was decanted 1.5 hours prior to consuming, then consumed over the next ensuring 2-3 hours. Typically the wine evolved and continued to open up, I would have loved to give it more aeration and time. (1004 views) | | | Tasted by cliftonng on 1/4/2018 & rated 91 points: A nice nose that has blackcurrant and menthol and cedar in the background. There is good balance to the palate, where there is medium to high acidity and enough fine tannins to suggest there is further ageing potential here. This quite enjoyable and drinking well now, though. (1275 views) | | | Tasted by CamWheeler on 11/23/2008 & rated 93 points: Tobacco, cedar, strawberry, plums and floral aromas - lots of layers. Great balance on the palate, it is obviously young but already complex and approachable. Lovely, with the potential to get even better. (2819 views) | | | Tasted by Jeremy Holmes on 8/26/2008: Way too young to truly enjoy but one can usually get a good handle on the vintage on release. It is one of the most savoury of dry Australian reds, showing plenty of iron filings, coal smoke and meat on the nose along with perfectly ripe blueberry and blood plum fruits. It is compact yet dense and powerful in the mouth with ripe dark fruits that are tinged by liquorice and earth. The French oak is of the cedar persuasion yet lurks in the background and the monolithic tannins hide behind a thick velvet curtain of old vine sap for now.
Cheers (2343 views) |
| WendoureeWendouree By Matthew Wilson
Wendouree is an Australian wine time capsule. Unswayed by fad or fashion, Tony and Lita are fair dinkum custodians. Think Wendouree; think 100+ years, genuine fruit and perfume, structure and equilibrium, acid and tension, power and finesse.
Background
In 1892 Alfred Percy Birks and his brother planted a 0.2-ha block of cabernet sauvignon, and made a few gallons of wine from grapes purchased from other growers in the Clare Valley district of South Australia. In 1893 an additional 1.2 ha of shiraz were planted (the vines derived from the original James Busby Collection via the Adelaide Botanical Gardens). In 1896 a further 0.5 ha of shiraz were planted. All remain in production. By 1903 the Birks brothers had built a small winery. They were unable to turn all their grapes into wine, but made 4,550 litres and sold both them and their surplus grapes to the Stanley Wine Company. For the next 20 years Stanley remained their sole customer, either reselling the wine to the London market, or using it to bolster some of their own lighter bodied wines.
In 1914, with production around 18,000 litres a year, it was time to construct a proper wine cellar and expand. The first stone section of the cellars, which remains in use almost unaltered to this day, was built. A large basket press was installed on rails set in cement running between open fermenters. In 1917, failing health caused Alfred Birks to hand over winemaking responsibilities to his son Roly, who then started a winemaking career which was to span 65 vintages.
The vineyards were expanded again; the Eastern Vineyard was purchased and planted over the winters of 1919 and 1920. Part of this survives: two large blocks of shiraz of 1.6 and 0.8 ha respectively, and 0.2 ha of bush-pruned mataro. The other two blocks have been grafted to cabernet sauvignon and malbec respectively, but the 1920 rootstocks remain. The cellars were once again extended, and equipment was upgraded with one of the first must pumps in the district.
From 1925 Roly Birks and his brother would load up a truck with casks and kegs of varying sizes and set off on a round trip selling to hotels. In the years up to World War II output stayed roughly constant, at 50% full-bodied dry red and 50% fortified wine. In the years after the war, Wendouree also built up a business supplying substantial quantities of base wine for the then-infant sparkling wine production of Wynns. By the early 1950s this had grown to between 55,000 and 65,000 litres a year.
In the 1950s Melbourne wine merchant, WJ Seabrook & Son, began purchasing substantial quantities of Wendouree wines, making a specialty of Birks’ ‘pressings’ red. Although the wines were bought in cask by Doug Seabrook and matured for a period of time before bottling, the maker was always specified on the label – refer to our dinners 1967.
In 1970, aged 77, Roly Birks decided to sell Wendouree, but unfortunately found a purchaser who had neither the capital nor the winemaking ability to do anything other than rapidly run down the business to the point where, in 1974, only 10 tonnes of grapes were crushed. The properties were then split up and offered for sale by the mortgagee. The two principal vineyard blocks (which included the old house and winery) were purchased by Sydney businessman Max Liberman, and son-in-law, Tony Brady, together with wife Lita, were installed as managers. Roly Birks was retained as a consultant, and a close and enduring friendship was forged between the Bradys and the Birks. The Bradys regarded it as their duty to rejuvenate the old vineyards. There are now 12 ha of vineyard planted to cabernet sauvignon, malbec, shiraz, mataro and a little muscat gordo blanco, most with different blocks of different ages. Production seldom exceeds 60 tonnes a year, and is often less. Even at its maximum this is only 2 tonnes per acre.
For several decades the wines have been made with the assistance of Stephen George, who is the owner/winemaker of Ashton Hills in the Adelaide Hills.Wendouree ShirazA spectacularly individual wine, Wendouree Shiraz typically possesses a core of blackberry/ black olive aromas with complex iodine, wet bitumen, animal hide characters. The low-yielding beautifully formed old Shiraz vines, tortured and serpentine (many from the original plantings), are unique, producing small berries with thick skins and a very high seed content. The fruit is vinified in stainless steel lined open fermenters. Maturation takes place in roughly 20% new oak for around a year. Although there is clarity and buoyancy of fruit on the palate, the tannins are rusty and vice-like. It has been described as "an iron fist in velvet glove" type wine.
Bottled under screw cap from the 2009 vintage.Shiraz Varietal article (Wikipedia) | Varietal character (Appellation America)Australia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)South Australia South Australian Wine Industry Association | South Australian Wines (Wikipedia)Mount Lofty Ranges Mount Lofty Ranges (wikipedia)Clare Valley Clare Valley (South Australian Tourism Comission) |
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