Date: 24 and 25 April,
2012
What: 2010 Garagiste Syrah, Heathcote
Purchased: Blackhearts
& Sparrows, $46
Food: Chicken and leek pie (24/4), lamb and salad (25/4)
Comments: errrrmmm. Ok. Great colour - vibrant deep ruby. A tasting in two parts.
First night: what is this? Little on the nose. Perhaps some spice, and a bit of forest floor. Weird melange of forest fruits and cloves, but nothing really consistent and more to the point, nothing particularly meaningful to taste. Very tannic and had the cheeks being sucked well in.
Second night: has opened up, with spices coming a bit more to the fore, but still somewhat thin. A touch flinty on the nose along with the spice.
So, what to make of it? Would not pick it as Heathcote in a million years. The first thing that popped into my head was an obscure arthouse movie. You know the type - a black and white effort filmed on location in Albania by an "acclaimed" Estonian director, which tells the tale of a widowed goat herder and his struggles against globalism. Why anyone would watch it over the many other films floating around is anyone's guess. No doubt, a select few pseudo intellectuals will find my views that of a boorish fool who doesn't know a classic when he tastes one. But what exactly have I tasted? I am more sympathetic on the second night but this is not something to be trotted out in anything other than the most select of wine wank types.
Wednesday 25 April 2012
Saturday 14 April 2012
Glaetzer-Dixon Mon Pere Shiraz
Date: 14 April, 2012
What: 2009 Glaetzer-Dixon Mon Pere Shiraz, Tasmania
Purchased: Blackhearts & Sparrows, $40
Food: Home made pizza
Comments: lot of wraps on this, so I was keen to try - but always presents a difficulty in reviewing as wanting to be unbiased. Nice clean, bright colour - lighter side of things. Closed on the nose early. Into the gob and...pepper, anyone? White and black, both at once, and dominating. I love pepper in my cool climate shirazes, but this is almost taking the piss. Cool climate shiraz as an extreme sport. After a while the nose starts to open, with some berry fruits/plum, forest floor and perhaps a bit of porcini mushroom popping in to say hello. Palate also starts to open up and the pepper softens (although much in the same way a Mike Tyson's punch softens after 10 rounds - it's still a punch) and makes way for plums and some nice soft tannins; a bit more rounded, and stylish, almost some Frenchiness creeping in. Will be interested to drink more tomorrow and see how it progresses. Worth the hype? Not quite, but a handy drop.
Post script: had another glass today, the day after. Much more going on - fuller in the mouth and a lot more fruit working with the pepper. Good length. Shall decant the next bottle for a couple of hours before drinking as it really needs the time!
What: 2009 Glaetzer-Dixon Mon Pere Shiraz, Tasmania
Purchased: Blackhearts & Sparrows, $40
Food: Home made pizza
Comments: lot of wraps on this, so I was keen to try - but always presents a difficulty in reviewing as wanting to be unbiased. Nice clean, bright colour - lighter side of things. Closed on the nose early. Into the gob and...pepper, anyone? White and black, both at once, and dominating. I love pepper in my cool climate shirazes, but this is almost taking the piss. Cool climate shiraz as an extreme sport. After a while the nose starts to open, with some berry fruits/plum, forest floor and perhaps a bit of porcini mushroom popping in to say hello. Palate also starts to open up and the pepper softens (although much in the same way a Mike Tyson's punch softens after 10 rounds - it's still a punch) and makes way for plums and some nice soft tannins; a bit more rounded, and stylish, almost some Frenchiness creeping in. Will be interested to drink more tomorrow and see how it progresses. Worth the hype? Not quite, but a handy drop.
Post script: had another glass today, the day after. Much more going on - fuller in the mouth and a lot more fruit working with the pepper. Good length. Shall decant the next bottle for a couple of hours before drinking as it really needs the time!
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