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For Your Pleasure
"For your pleasure
In our present state
Part false part true
Like anything
We present ourselvesThe words we use tumble
All over your shoulder
Gravel hard and looseThere all night lying
With your dark horse hiding
Abhorring such extremes" - Bryan FerryCategories
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Category Archives: Shiraz et al
2010 De Bortoli La Bossa Shiraz Cabernet Merlot
Generic, weekday red. Confected fruits, pumped up acidity and little in the way of form or shape. In other words, easy to slug back without thought. In fact the best way to drink it is thoughtlessly. It doesn’t really stand … Continue reading
Vale WWEI: Prepare to Meet Your Maker
Vale interloper Gods listen. Or at least that’s the conclusion I came to at the end of a three-day junket in McLaren Vale earlier in July. To begin with, I kind of muscled my way into the Queensland “Meet Your … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Cabernet et al, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fiano, Grenache, Grenache et al, McLaren Vale, Mourvèdre/Mataró, Mourvèdre/Mataró et al, Other Whites, Roussanne, Sagrantino et al, Sangiovese, Shiraz, Shiraz et al, Vermentino, Viognier, White Blends, Wine Events, Wine Musings
Tagged Articles, Wine Events, Wine Musings, Wine Reviews
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2009 Cradle of Hills Shiraz Mourvèdre
Mourvèdre/Mataró is such a great blending partner for Shiraz. It adds structure and interest, two things that are sometimes absent from straight varietal gear. This one’s got 20% Mourvèdre in it, along with a dash of Grenache (5%). It’s entirely … Continue reading
2009 Yalumba FDR1A Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz
The seventh release of Yalumba’s FDR1A - that’s ‘Fine Dry Red’ to the uninitiated. The first was way back in 1974. You can’t mistake the Eden valley fruit in this beauty. It’s powerful yet floral and spicy. Layers and depth galore. … Continue reading
The Red Stripe Comes of Age: d’Arenberg’s 100th Birthday Lunch
And it’s Time, Time, Time… Chester Osborn, who began his tenure as chief winemaker at d’Arenberg in 1984, was limping ever so slightly as he came to greet me. We were at Urbane for what turned out to be an … Continue reading
2010 Longview Shiraz Cabernet
A pleasant surprise. A wine of some depth and complexity at around $15, one that evolves over three days of tasting and doesn’t play solely to commercial interests and tastes. I’m tired of the dumbing down of wine – how … Continue reading
2010 Salo Hawkes Bay Syrah
The Salo stable expands (to two wines) with the introduction of this inaugural Hawkes Bay Syrah. Only fitting considering it’s a collaborative effort between Kiwi Dave Mackintosh and Aussie Steve Flamsteed. No sulfur pre-bottling, ambient yeast, 18 months in 15% new French barriques. As for the … Continue reading