Shirazes of Australia

What better way to have steak than with a good robust glass or glasses of shiraz. The night had been planned with shiraz in mind and thanks to various generous contributions from my friends, we had a wonderful array of Aussie shirazes all from different regions.
A few were tasted the night before and re-tasted with the steak after bottle-decanting for a day.
For more on the food-wine pairing with photos, pl visit www.wadadvocate.blogspot.com

• 2004 Pettavel Shiraz Emigré 87 Points

  Australia, Victoria, Port Phillip, Geelong

  Deep reddish-purple. Lifted vegetal nose of cabbage / lettuce / cucumber ? …whatever it is this is vegy perfume. Semi-sweet and semi-sour bright small spicy berries Still elegant with a medium to long finish and smooth gentle tannins.
  After decanting, the nose had a pronounced green capsicum mixed with white frangipani flowers. The palate had taken a more delectable ribena currant juice. A pretty good effort. It is quite expressive given it is from the southernmost coolest climate of the range.
  Persona
  Awkwardly different from the rest (sticks out like a sore thumb) yet not at all shy. She expresses her views as she feels it and at this moment, she is onto the hippie movement of flower and going green for the environment. She is thin and needs to be meatier. She resembles Calista Flockhart.

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• 1998 Dalwhinnie Shiraz Moonambel Pyrenees 93 Points

  Australia, Victoria, Western Victoria, Pyrenees

  Garnet with slight brownish hue. Cooked plums with a lift of orange peels. The aromas are beautifully restrained ….emitting gentle waves of savory plums , bbq meats and ribena. Beautifully aged dark round fruits with licourice and nutmeg spice. Exceptionally refined and elegant with graceful stature. The finish is smooth and gentle…fading to a gentle glow.
  I had actually accidentally bottle decanted it the night before but it was a good mistake. After decanting, the nose is amazingly pinot noir-ish…of fart and muskiness. The palate is ever so gentle with a radiating glow of raspberry fruit. I can see this going with a wide range of cuisines besides the traditional pairing of Shiraz with heavy meats. Versatility that comes with the age and experience, this Shiraz totally does it for me. I love it!
  Persona
  Cooked and weathered yet still exuding signs of her sprightly succulence of her younger days. However, wisdom and age has made her more savory and given her an aura of stately grandeur. Maturity has curbed her desires to be fully frontal and given her a gentleness that soothes the savage throat. Your Excellencies, may I present her royal highness - Helen Mirrin.

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• 2004 Paterson's Shiraz Gundagai 84 Points

  Australia, New South Wales, Big Rivers, Riverina

  Obvious violets nose surfaces among blueberry consommé. Sweet enveloping semi-jammy core of medium sized ripened blueberry plums. Not princess elegant but still preserves lady-like elegance and gentleness.

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• 2004 Charles Cimicky Shiraz Reserve 91 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Deep purple. Brambly crayola spice dominates over nice fully ripe and round black berries / raspberries with a lining of glycerin. Salty savoriness attacks the front palate with bacon fat nuances. The mid-palate is full of juicy black berry pie with some dried herb and spices. Very luscious sweet ripeness that is very elegant and restrained with the alcohol. Finishes with lovely licourice.
  After decanting, the fruits still hold very well and seem to have taken on a more delicate orangey spectrum. The tannins are velvety smooth and caresses the palate like an experienced Javanese massage…deep tissue but very tension relieving.
  Persona
  Voluptuously ripe and round. Salty and sultry. Lusciously sweet but with considerable sexy elegance. Can get feisty-ly spicy as the evening draws near but her sweetness overwhelms like the morning dew. This is an Angelina Jolie.

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• 2005 Pertaringa Shiraz Over the Top 83 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Purple to almost blackish. Thick glycerin with hints of crayola. Good black fruits with some dried twigs on the palate. Didn’t taste that much different from the first time this was tasted.
  However, after decanting, this little devil is much more tamed in its approach but still big on the structure and glycerin. With the steak, it definitely tasted so much better. The harder tannins are smoothened out with big black fruits still dominating…with hints of dark mocha on the finish. So much better than before.
  Persona
  A succulent body….not to a sexy extent but definitely quite voluptuous. Carries her weight well. She is really quite beautiful in demeanor but is temperamentally spicier than her arch-rival – Angelina. Maybe that is why Brad left her. She is your Jennifer Aniston.

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• 2006 Nashwauk Shiraz Wrecked 83 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Big nose of mixed berry fruit pie mixed into a pot of glycerin-laced ink. Although not over the top, this packs an obvious punch. The body fills your mouth completely and has that horse-radish nose choking effect. Tannins still hard probably due to its youth. A small giant that tramples over your palate.

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