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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
2013 Bleeding Heart Big Rivers/McLaren Vale Shiraz
A multiregional blend with 59% of the grapes coming from the large catch-all Big Rivers GI (akin to the Riverland in many ways) and 41% from McLaren Vale. Affable, unaffected gear. Blackberry pastilles and plums mostly. A little milk chocolate … Continue reading
2012 Luke Lambert Yarra Valley Syrah
Fruit is sourced from the Upper Yarra Valley. Wild yeast fermented in 29 year-old large format oak with 40% whole bunches. A distinct step up from the 2012 Crudo Syrah in terms of shape and structure. There won’t be a … Continue reading
2010 Henry’s Drive Magnus Shiraz
Apart from the 2012 Syrah I’ve found all the Henry’s Drive reds too overblown and unbalanced. Big boy juice. Even men will need shoulder pads. Diesel fumes, prunes, vanilla custard and pulverised cloves. Thick with oak, thinned with bourbon. These … Continue reading
2013 Fikkers two bricks Shiraz
The press release uses all lower case for the ‘two bricks’ moniker so I’ll do the same. I quite like the idea actually. Grapes are sourced from the Coldstream area in the Lower Yarra Valley. 33% whole bunches, wild yeast … Continue reading
2011 Lowe Block 8 Organic Shiraz
No longer just organic but now biodynamic. Hopefully the next release will have been fermented in an egg to truly harness the benign and benevolent cosmic forces which see fit to overlook the fact that not all such birthing vessels … Continue reading
2011 Alkoomi Shiraz
Ah, average wine. It certainly brings my privileged existence into relief. Kind of full-bodied yet lacking in substance. Utility not luxury. Black fruits and gum leaf. Uncouth tannin. Fades quickly – on the palate and from memory. 84 Region: Great … Continue reading
2011 Gemtree White Lees Shiraz
Shiraz poured on top of white grape lees left in new French oak. Velvety, full-bodied and mouth-filling. Smells (unsurprisingly) yeasty and somewhat more unexpectedly of orange blossom. Saturated black and purple fruits, milk chocolate, red strap licorice and pepper. Big, … Continue reading
2012 Old Plains Power of One Old Vines Shiraz
Dom Torzi continues to mine the unfashionable yet valuable old vine material of the Adelaide Plains. Vineyards are around fifty years of age. This tastes and smells of Raspberry coulis, plums, French vanilla, scorched earth, coffee grounds, licorice, cloves and … Continue reading
2013 De Bortoli Sacred Hill Shiraz
Region is listed as South Eastern Australia. Not sure those in the market for it will care. Yes, it’s simple and sweetish but I was expecting something more confected and less likable. Funny how wines can surprise you. I’m not … Continue reading