Margaret River 14.0% Screwcap $? Source- Gift
Whilst visiting my brother in the lead up to his wedding I had the opportunity to taste a pre-release bottle of 2008 Blue Poles Shiraz that owners Mark Gifford and Tim Markwell had generously gifted us for the purpose of celebrating the occasion. It’s the first time they’ve released a Shiraz (that I know of) and they’ve every right to be very pleased with it.
It opened up with red cherries, raspberries and blueberries which chimed in nicely with some lavender/pot-pourri. As is always the case with Blue Poles, the French Oak stood out for its sheer quality. Don’t get me wrong, it was very much in balance with the quality fruit. But boy do these guys know how to source their barrels!
There was some lovely spice at play too and a driving minerality that only fully revealed itself on the finish. The wine just kept improving with time in the decanter, gaining darker fruit flavours and greater integration of the chocolate/pencil oak. The whole package was elegant and only just medium bodied but the purpose and intent were completely compelling.
As we lingered over the wine, my brother and I discussed a set of ideas that are of great interest to me. Certain wines bear their maker’s mark clearly without hindering the expression of region, fruit or vintage in any way. The wineries that make these wines are generally amongst my favourites. And I can’t help but going back to a point I keep making. Place or terroir is important. But just as important is the way the wine maker interprets their specific place throughout its temporal movement. Or, as I like to put it, the way a wine maker/viticulturist wants to represent their place (how they “see” it I guess). Within this paradigm, I must say that Blue Poles’ vision is one that holds great beauty to me. The 2008 Shiraz adds yet another layer of appeal to my perception of that vision.
Winery Website- http://www.bluepolesvineyard.com.au/
Definitely agree with your last paragraph here Jeremy. There continues to be a lot of speak re: 'terroir' and how wine should reflect its place of origin first and foremost, but like you, my favourite producers tend to be those whose wine reflects not just a place of origin but also a distinctive house style.
Grosset springs to mind immediately for me. Whether it be his Clare rieslings, Adelaide Hills chardonnay or Clare cabernet his wines all bear the mark of the place and the man (including a bit of his gentle, elegant and softly spoken personality which I always like to see
Cheers,
Chris P
Grosset are very much in the group I'm thinking about. Would love to meet him one day…
I must admit to seeing "house" styles as well, and during a dinner held on the weekend I put 4 blind wines out to see how the attendees went picking a varietal. The 4 wines I put out were
Majella 08 Merlot
Unison 07 Merlot
Capital Wines Kyeema 08 Merlot
Blue Poles 08 Merlot
Very few picked the wines as merlots. But the Majella tasted like a Majella (some even picked this and thought it the Cab Sauv), and the Unison tasted like a Unison (we'd had a bottle of the Unison Selection the night before – striking similarities). When GW tasted the Capital Hills Merlot he pointed out that it tasted more of Canberra than of Merlot – an interesting comment.
I think our reliance on varietal labelling may be fine for the swill produced out there, but, once you make wine from a site with effort in the winery to minimise intervention to the balance of the wine, then you can debate the value of a varietal sticker. I feel like "Blue Poles" is enough at times. Just name them after a theme and rate them by weight and character – but this may be simply MAD and I'd have to explain it so many times that I'll fall over in boredom.
Keep up the good work JP – the wine will be sold for $20 as it is not an ageing wine as per the Merlot based wines. Thus it's a bit cheaper.
Cheers
I think you've hit the nail on the head with this review Jezza (shame you can't bop the old Sontaran at the same time mind you). It will be in the next BRWB and I made similar comments about the winery having a firm hand on the tiller (amongst other more organic objects).
GW
MG- I'm not even sure I know what Australian Merlot "tastes" like but I certainly enjoy the way a few people are producing it. I'd probably have more chance of picking the Majella as a Majella or a Coonawarra red than as a varietal.
Mind you I'd stick with the varietal labeling. Falling over due to boredom sounds painful!
GW- Thanks, I appreciate the kind words. I hope to have a chance to meet the "Old Sontaran" one day. Then I can make a more informed decision as to whether or not I should bop him on the head
Look forward to reading your take in the BRWB when it is released.
cheers
j
Great review Jeremy and I like the point raised about house style. It's something that I suppose attracts me to wineries such as Blue Poles and Lethbridge.
As to the wine, I just tried it last night and loved it. Spicy shiraz is often really my thing, especially with good quality oak. I think the quality of the oak is at least as impoprtant as the amount used. Probably more so.
Dave
Thanks Dave.
It's a corker of wine, even if it is under screwcap
Nice to be able to enjoy a BP red without feeling guilty about not giving it time in the cellar too. Glad you liked it.
And I'm totally with you on spicy Shiraz. I can enjoy other styles but when it comes down to it I know what I like best…
cheers
j
You should touch up Mark or Tim for a 2011. Really impressive. And $22? I don’t even much like Margaret River Shiraz. Oak should be on a $60 wine at least.
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