McLaren Vale 14.5% Screwcap $65
As a fan of the RSW Shiraz, I was happy to read of its inclusion in Langton’s Classification V this year, in the ‘Distinguished’ category. It is a distinguished wine with some excellent vintages already under its belt. It’s always been quite hedonistic; generous, layered fruit flavour, creamy oak of excellent quality.
This release is no different in that regard. It reeks of quality oak- 55% French, 45% American, 40% new. Loads of black curranty fruit, plums, prunes and a little mulberry suck up all that wood with ease, leaving a strong mocha character to mingle pleasantly along with some spice. There’s soy sauce in there as well, enhancing a slightly savoury edge in the wine.
Having said that, I don’t think this was the perfect vintage to celebrate the news from Langton’s. On opening it’s certainly creamy, smooth and supple with a glycerol character coating the mouth and tongue. Unfortunately it’s a touch porty and lacking in vitality. It took another day for the structure to reveal itself in the form of fine, grainy tannin.
For mine, it’s a touch over the top and flat. This is probably just a result of the year in which Wirra Wirra produced the wine but it left me a little cold. For lovers of very rich, ripe fruit and lashings of oak.
Winery website- http://www.wirrawirra.com/
Hard vintage, hard wine. The 09 however is a big step up.
Good to hear. Have only tried a few 09 McLaren reds so far but it already looks more promising.