A great deal of marketing spin on the bottle but the vintage wins out. “Don’t you love the sound,” ask Mark Knopfler and Van Morrison, “of the last laugh going down?” Well, I do get the sentiment but there’s little in the way of joy when it comes to writing negative reviews of wine. At least for me.
They’ve tried to polish this up into sweet black, licorice laced Barossa Shiraz but within a short time it becomes apparent that grubby fruit produces more in the way of swampy notes and grey water. Has a salty edge. For those who don’t bother swirling or sniffing perhaps? 84
Region: Barossa Valley
Alcohol: 14.5%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $18
Tasted: September 2013