More wines to celebrate the week in which Australia Day falls. This time, it’s Shiraz, with a European version making its way into the line-up…
Smart Dog Syrah 2013, Alentejano, Portugal (£8.99 Adnams)
Sweet, almost smoky notes alongside the cinnamon and clove aromas, but while there’s no shortage of flavour, the hearty berry character veers too much towards the jammy, and the finish is a bit hard too. C+
Shaw & Smith Shiraz 2012, Adelaide Hills, Australia (£24.99 see below for stockists – Liberty Wines is the importer)
Intense but fresh style, with mint/eucalypt and liquorice notes pepping up the blueberry, blackcurrant and loganberry flavours, rounded and juicy, with perky pepper nuances, and floral notes on the finish too. Good now, but will be fascinating to see how it develops over the next five years. G-
Tyrrell’s Lost Block Shiraz 2012, Heathcote, Australia (£14.49 Hailsham Cellars, Roberts & Speight, The Solent Cellar, Swift Wines)
Bold, broader-shouldered style, with sweet plummy berry fruit that veers towards the jammy, an earthy floral character and a long chewy finish. Good but maybe a bit obvious. B+
Dandelion Vineyards Lioness of McLaren Vale Shiraz 2012, Australia (£13.49 Oz Wines)
Another rich, bold wine, but alongside the ever-so-slightly baked/jammy blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, the iron-rich McLaren Vale terroir adds its cool earthy nuances, and there’s also a touch of violets. Big, rich and hearty but never too big for its boots. S
Shaw & Smith Shiraz stockists:-
Majestic, Artisvin, Askewine, Bentley’s Wine Merchants, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Charlie Crown, DeFine Food & Wine, Thedrinkshop.com, Eynsham Cellars, Exel Wines, The Fine Wine Company, The Good Wine Shop, Halifax Wine Co, Harrods, Hedonism Wines, Henderson Wines, Highbury Vintners, House of Menzies, Latitude Wine, Lockett Bros, The Longship, Luvians, ND John Wine Merchants, Noel Young Wines, Ozwines.co.uk, Peckham’s, Planet of the Grapes, Prohibition Wines, Provender Brown, Quaff Fine Wine Merchant, Rannoch Scott Wines, Scarlet Wines, The Secret Cellar, Sheldon’s Wine Cellars, Shills of Cockermouth, Slurp.co.uk, The Vineking, Winedirect.co.uk, Wine Man, The Wine Reserve, Winetrust100.co.uk