2008 Wakefield Riesling – Clare Valley, Australia

This is a very citrusy Riesling, sending out waves of tart citrus, lemon, lime, a touch of pink grapefruit, all wrapped in green apple peel. Flavors are reminiscent of Sauvignon blanc but the more viscous mouth-feel hints at Riesling. It is a pleasant food-friendly wine, but not one that would stand out among similarly priced Rieslings, for it lacks any special Riesling qualities.

2008 Yellow Tail Reserve Pinot Grigio – South Eastern Australia

This Pinot Grigio is a pale gold green. Sweet fruit and a hint of herbs in the aroma. Light body, lightly sweet and lively, with a hint of tangerine and plenty of lime in both flavor and finish. It’s an easy to drink aperitif wine, especially at the end of a hot, muggy day, when you want a little more than a limeade and a little less than a cocktail. The wine became a bit more fruity as it opened in the glass. But sweetness predominated when I tried pairing it with dinner (chicken) so I had to give it up for the meal. Read about Becky Sue’s thoughts as she samples the whole Reserve line on BeckySueEpstein.com.

2007 Wakefield Cabernet Sauvignon – Clare Valley, Australia

This wine is tight and seems very young. Hidden beneath the tannins are the flavors of licorice, brambles, menthol, and wild blackberries, with elusive hints of unsweetened chocolate espresso. Whether this moderately priced wine will last long enough for the tannins to settle down and let the interesting underlying flavors come to the fore is not clear, but at less than $20, putting a few up for a few years might be worth the gamble.

2002 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Art Series – South West Australia

Red currant, unsweetened chocolate, cedar and a touch of mint are overwhelmed by harsh green, unripe flavors. Sweet vanilla-flavored oak treatment and bitter vegetal tastes leave this…not recommended.

2006 Greg Norman Estates Cabernet-Merlot – Limestone Coast, Australia

Flavors of blackcurrant and a tiny touch of mint are quickly overwhelmed by cherries from the merlot and wood from the winemaking. It is sweet, red fruits ultimately dominating, with spices from the wood, cinnamon and clove. This is one of the better grocery store wines, keeping varietal correctness and not collapsing into an oak-extract mass of maple and brown sugar.

2004 Groom Shiraz, Barossa Valley

Wonderful nose with coffee, cherries, oak. Cherries, chocolate, blackberries and tar on the palate. Long dry finish, with fruit, plum skins, and toasted coconut. Extraordinary. I would put this up against any $75 big name Australian Shiraz and have another bottle left to drink later. Maybe the key was 25% new oak, rather than the 100% new oak of the big blowsy fruit bombs floating over from the land down under these days.

1996 Cape Clairault Cabernet Sauvignon, South West Australia

Violets and a slightly gamey mustiness, as well as the brick-red color, show a wine that aged gracefully. There is still black fruit but it does not overwhelm the more delicate floral flavors. This is a nice example of Margaret River wine, an Australian Cabernet more like Bordeaux than Napa.

2001 Penfolds RWT Shiraz, Barossa Valley

Dark and inky. A concentrated nose with a bit of leather and plum. Smooth, but with a nice tannic structure lending a pleasant “abrasive” mouthfeel. Dark fruits, anise, minerals. An umami note on the end that leads to a very long, satisfying finish.

2005 Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz, South Australia

Remarkably light-colored for an Australian Shiraz, ruby and opaque rather than deep and dark. The nose is incredibly floral and aromatic. Completely smooth, like drinking silk. Blackberry, chocolate, and baking spices. Substantial, but with understated tannins. Absolutely easy to drink and very refined—almost Burgundian.

A Little Bit of Class in Australian Shiraz

This tasting showed me that Australia does indeed make great wines, and that more people should seek out good bottles from the land down under.

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