Game of Rhones

A monster tasting. Bit of a elbows at dawn hence quite short tasting notes in some cases. I managed to purloin complimentary tickets to this event after asking why it wasn't being held in Sydney - it has run in three of Australia's state capitals. Their response was "maybe next year but if you come to this one in Melbourne we'll shout you free tickets". I artfully tied an important business trip to the Friday directly before and duly made my way down. Pretty much all Australian producers showing pretty much wines made with the main Rhone varietals. Syrah (Shiraz), Grenache, Mouvedre (Mataro), Cinsault and a couple of ring ins - Carignan and Petite Syrah (Durif) for the reds and Viognier, Marsanne & Roussanne for the whites.

• 2012 Torbreck The Steading Blanc

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Peach, cream, bees wax, apricot, mineral notes. In the mouth juicy with a waxy texture, cream, slight almond. Muted stone fruit that drops off quickly.

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• 2010 Torbreck The Steading

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  red berry fruit, touches of black pepper spice, vanilla, more spice. In the mouth the wine is slightly reductive and spirituous with black pepper over savoury red fruit flavours and slight green notes.

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• 2009 Torbreck Mataro The Pict

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Concentrated red plum, spice, vanilla, chocolate. In the mouth more of the same with chalky tannin. Long. Good.

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• 2012 Torbreck Shiraz The Struie

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa

  Medium plus intensity aromas of charcuterie, blackberry and black pepper and a slight reductive note. Black peppercorns, black berry tough, chewy tannin, young. Okay

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• 2006 Torbreck RunRig

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Meat, blood, black pepper spice, cream vanilla and chocolate with agitation. Very savoury. In the mouth the wine is juicy, spicy with pepper notes, fine chalky tannin and flavours of meat and blood. Not really any fruit but very, very nice.

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• 2012 Dalwhinnie Shiraz Moonambel Pyrenees

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Pyrenees

  Black over green peppercorns over chocolate and black berry with slight vanilla. The wine is juicy, slightly funky, with black and green peppercorn, brambly black fruit, chewy, chalky tannin. Long

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• 2010 Dalwhinnie Shiraz The Pinnacle

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Pyrenees

  medium minus aromas of red berry, smoky/bonfires, cream and vanilla. In the mouth the wine has medium plus acidity, quite muted flavours of red berries, spice, then talc like tannin. Hmm

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• 2010 Dalwhinnie Shiraz South West Rocks Pyrenees

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Pyrenees

  medium minus aromas. Roses, peppercorns, smoke and a little black fruit. In the mouth the wine is juicy tangy, with slight spice, grippy, course tannin. Chunky. Disjointed. Hmm

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• 2010 Dalwhinnie Shiraz Eagle

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Pyrenees

  Ripe blackberry and apricot compote, spice, cedar and vanilla. In the mouth the wine has juicy blackberry, chalky tannin, apricot, slightly peppery on the finish.

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• 2012 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Cliff Edge

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians

  Perfumed, cream, vanilla, black and green peppercorn and blackberry, slight spice. In the mouth the wine is juicy and peppery spice, then talc like tannin. Okay

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• 2012 Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz Langi

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians

  Green peppercorns and freshly ground black pepper, very spicy. Then meaty notes. In the mouth the wine is very spicy and peppery with chewy tannin. Long. Interesting.

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• 2012 Seppelt Shiraz Chalambar

  Australia, Victoria

  Very funky, Brett, farmyard, leather over spice. In the mouth there is black berry fruit then peppery spice then firm chewy tannins. Short. Meh.

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• 2012 Seppelt Shiraz Mount Ida

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote

  Black pepper and blackberry, cream and vanilla, touches of chocolate, spice and cedar. In the mouth the wine is spicy with flavours black pepper, blackberry, chewy tough tannin, cream and slight brambles return on the medium plus length finish.

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• 2010 Seppelt Shiraz St Peters

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Grampians

  Blackberry, farmyard, black pepper, spice, cedar. In the mouth blackberry and spice, chewy tannin, carries long but it's a little dull. Hmm

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• 2011 Mitchelton Airstrip

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria

  Bees wax, stone fruit, slight honeyed notes, floral, perfumed. Waxy textured, stone fruit, mid palate tannin grip. Okay.

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• 2010 Mitchelton Shiraz Heathcote

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote

  Red berry and currant, green peppercorn, spiced oak. Medium plus acid, zesty red berry, green pepper and chewy tannin. A slightly milky quality here as well that is a little odd but not unpleasant. Medium plus length. Nice in an unusual way.

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• 2013 Greenstone Vineyard Shiraz Cambrian Ridge

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote

  Jammy black fruit over black pepper spice, black pepper to the fore on the palate, chalky front of mouth grip.

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• 2012 Greenstone Vineyard Shiraz

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote

  Barnyard, cream, vanilla, chocolate over black fruits…floral notes, cedary touches. In the mouth the wine is juicy with rich black berry and touches of liquorice, chocolate, quote long. Rather nice

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• 2012 Greenstone Vineyard Shiraz Copper Block

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote

  Spice, red currants and plums. Green peppercorn, vanilla and chocolate, cedar. Juicy red currant, green peppercorns then immediate boisterous front of mouth tannic grip. Quite chalky and chewy. Needs time. Good.

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• 2011 Voyager Estate Shiraz

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Blackberry, cream vanilla, alcohol heat, black pepper spice. In the mouth pronounced black pepper spice dominates massive unwieldy and unwelcoming tannin. Nah.

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• 2012 Shaw and Smith Shiraz

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills

  Dense, meaty black fruit, black pepper and slight floral notes. In the mouth juicy blackberry fruit, backed by black pepper spice, chalky tannin. Needs time.

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• 2009 Grant Burge Abednego

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Quite reductive, slight generic red fruit, slight spice and subtle meaty elements. Juicy red fruit, spice and medium fine tannins. Pleasant but quite anonymous.

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• 2010 Longview Vineyard Shiraz Yakka MacClesfield

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills

  Perfumed and confected sweet red fruit, vanilla and slight jubey black currant notes. On the palate the wine has jubey fruit, fine tannins…it's a little short though, and simple and a rip off at AUD28.

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• 2009 Longview Vineyard Shiraz The Piece

  Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills

  Old School Aussie Shiraz time! Ripe, concentrated blackberry fruit, perfumed elements here as well, vanilla, black cherries, chocolate. In the mouth the wine does have juicy acidity and then concentrated, dense, thick blackberry and cherry fruit. Medium plus intensity talc like tannin, plentiful alcohol warmth. Long. A beast...but tameable. needs a lot of time though. I rather like it.

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• 2009 Terres d'Avignon Côtes du Rhône La Légende Croix Valong

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  confected cherry liquor over herbaceous notes. Sour and awful

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• 2011 Domaine Rouge-Bleu Côtes du Rhône Mistral

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  thin, unripe berries…almost like a rose. Juicy red berry fruit descends in a tart and ugly finale. Terrible.

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• 2011 Tyrrell's Shiraz Single Vineyard Stevens

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Rubber, yeast extract, leather, muted, red berry fruit. Juicy red berry fruit, slight spice, fine silky tannins persists with red fruit. Fresh. Nice.

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• 2011 Tyrrell's Shiraz Vat 9

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Rubber over concentrated red fruit, also a little funkiness and notes of blood, iron and meat touches. Cream. In the mouth the wine has juicy red currant fruit and talc like tannin. It's a bit disjointed. Hmm

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• 2012 Bress Shiraz Unfiltered Heathcote & Bendigo

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria

  Muted blackberry and chocolate, perfumed cedar. In the mouth mocha and muted black fruit.

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• 2013 Bress Shiraz Unfiltered Heathcote & Bendigo

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria

  Graphite, wet stones/crushed rocks, mint and pepper over black fruit. Juicy black fruit and red fruit, cream and chalky tannin, vanilla. A little short but otherwise very nice.

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• 2012 Bress Shiraz Gold Chook

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote

  Mint, herbaceous notes (green stalks) over pepper and earthy notes. Red currant and green peppercorn. Juicy, red fruit, chalky tannin, slight pepper spice. Medium length, touch of greenness. Hmm.

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• 2008 Bress Shiraz Gold Chook

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote

  Medium minus intensity aromas, dusty and perfumed green peppercorns, concentrated black fruit, vanilla and cream. In the mouth there wine has juicy blackberry fruit, medium plus talc like tannic grip carries on the medium plus length and a bit of alcoholic warmth on the finish. Meh

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• 2012 Bress Shiraz Le Grand Coq Noir

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Harcourt Valley

  Meaty, savoury black fruit, slight herbaceous/mint notes, cream. In the mouth there are flavours of sour juice, lots of course tannin, mouth stripping, not right - too many stalks? Nah.

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• 2011 Paxton AAA

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Slightly reductive meaty quality, red berries and plum, slight biscuit notes, hints of spice. Slight reductive meaty notes and confected red berries on the palate. Swamped by spice as well. Meh.

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• 2012 Paxton Shiraz MV

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Confected and jubey blackberry fruit, almost menthol notes and slight mint here as well, chocolate. In the mouth there is concentrated black berry fruit, but still reasonably juicy, chewy but over bearing tannin. Hmm.

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• 2012 Paxton Shiraz Quandong Farm

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  ripe, concentrated blackberry fruit, leather, spice, black berry fruit, chewy, leathery tannin, chunky but rather pleasant. Balanced but bolshy.

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• 2010 Paxton Shiraz Jones Block

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Perfumed black fruit and black spice. Very rich on the nose. In the mouth the wine has ridiculously concentrated fruit, tight, huge, big mouth drying tannin, chunky, bit of a monster. Needs a lot of time.

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• 2011 Shadowfax Viognier

  Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Geelong

  Stone fruit, yeast lees, spice, ginger. In the mouth the wine has juicy apricot, mid palate phenolic grip, a little tart and simple. Warmth on the back palate.

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• 2013 Shadowfax Minnow

  Australia, Victoria

  Red berry, spice, leather, toast and biscuit, slight green notes. In the mouth the wine has green notes, red berries, fresh but not very pleasant. Fine, talc like tannin. Meh

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• 2011 S.C. Pannell Grenache

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Red berries and currants over toast and slightly herbaceous notes- sweet tobacco. In the mouth the wine is spiced with medium plus chalky tannin. A bit too full on and overworked for me. It's a bit clumsy. Nah

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A wonderful tasting. I had a guest who wasn't a wine person so I had to drag them around a bit hence I didn't get through as much as I wanted to and had to leave a bit earlier. Based on this tasting I think I will take the trouble to get to the Pinot-alaza tasting they do run in Sydney next year.