2006 Thorn-Clarke Terra Barossa Barossa Cuvée

On February 10, 2010, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2006 Terra Barossa Cuvee by Thorn-Clarke from the Barossa region of Australia. This cuvee (a blend of grapes from different vineyards) is made of 47% Shiraz (Syrah), 29% Petit Verdot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Cabernet Franc. It was purchased for under $12. This wine was aged in oak barrels for 12 months.

Color

In the glass this wine is a gorgeous black ink color. Very dark purple.

Aroma

There is a big nose of blackberry and oak. Black currant is also present and is showing up more like creme de cassis. There is also a hint of eucalyptus and smoke from a pipe. Considering the blend I expected a little more green components, but suspect the oak is overpowering them which is too bad.

Flavor

On the attack the blackberries and black currants are strong and true. There is also a hint of the greenness such as broccoli. The fruit is definitely high quality. The mid-palate exhibits a hint of black cherries and dark chocolate. The finish is long with medium tannins and plum flavors. I also get a cigarettes and coffee note on the finish. The 14% alcohol is kept in check by the fruit. There is a bit of oak through out this palate and it doesn’t seem to add much weight or creaminess to the mouthfeel. This medium bodied wine will pair well with dark chocolate.

Rating

I think this is a good blend with some interesting aromas and flavors. I like it. I rate it 88 points.

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2008 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon

On November 19, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon from Wakely Vintners in Southeastern Australia. This wine continues my quest to find Eucalyptus in wine. I’ve previously tried the 2005 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2006 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2007 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon. I found this bottle for under $7. One amusing observation is that Wakely Vinters hasn’t changed their tasting notes on the label over the last three years.

Color

As in prior vintages, the color in the glass is a nice dark purplish red.

Aroma

There is a bit more oak showing on the nose than the prior vintages. The Eucalyptus component is still strong. There is also a blackberry component.

Flavor

The oak is present on the attack. Much more so than in the 2007 and 2006 vintages. There is also some dark fruit such as blackberry and black currant. Black cherry is present on the mid-palate and the finish is a bit hot with more oak. Overall this wine is too sweet. Perhaps the fruit has been over extracted during the wine-making process. It will pair with barbecue.

Rating

I found this wine to be too sweet for my palate. I rate it 83 points.

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2007 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon

On November 11, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

In my continuing quest to explore wines with Eucalyptus, today I am tasting the 2007 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon by Wakley Vintners in Australia. I have previously tasted the 2005 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2006 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon. One really amusing thing about the 2006, 2007 and 2008 (review soon) is that Wakley didn’t even bother to change the description on the back label. Either they were very lazy or the vineyard produces remarkably consistent wine each year! I found this bottle with the plastic cork (screw-cap would be better) of Cabernet Sauvignon for under $7.

Color

As in prior vintages, the color in the glass is a nice dark purple.

Aroma

The aroma jumps out of the glass and is vibrant. Unlike the 2006 vintage, this 2007 vintage doesn’t show as much Eucalyptus. There is some present, but there is much more dark fruit showing. I get blackberry and black currant along with cedar.

Flavor

On the attack there is some black currant which is very nice. The mid-palate really gets interesting with black cherry and a lot of black currant. This wine disappears quickly and has a very lack-luster finish. The tannins are minuscule on the finish so don’t expect this wine to last long.

Rating

This wine had potential and definitely started out much more promising than the 2006, but in the end the finish was just too short and plain. I rate it 86 points. However, it is ever so slightly superior to the 2006 vintage.

Any guess as to how the 2008 will show?

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2006 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon

On November 9, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Keeping with my quest to find Eucalyptus in wine, today I am tasting the 2006 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon by Wakley Vintners in Australia. I have previously tasted the 2005 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon. With a name like Gumdale and being surrounded by Eucalyptus trees, I figure the aroma and flavor will be obvious. I acquired this bottle with the plastic cork (screw-cap would be better) of Cabernet Sauvignon for under $7. The label states that there is a hint of mint. I doubt I can tell the difference of mint and Eucalyptus, but it will still be interesting to see how it shows. Of course, Cabernet Sauvignon also sometimes shows Chocolate, so I will be looking for it too.

Color

In the glass it is deep red with purple on the edges.

Aroma

It shows good aroma from a distance which always gets me excited to pickup the glass. There is some nice mulberry showing up on the nose along with some cedar. It also has a clear presence of Eucalyptus. It almost seems to open up my sinuses like a menthol-based medicinal product. I wonder if it helps me pick up more because of that. On the end there is a little oak. Anyone know how long this was aged in oak barrels?

Flavor

On the attack the dark fruit is showing nicely. There is black currant and a little bit of blueberry. The mid-palate exhibits sweet black cherry and the finish has more sour cherry. The mouth feel is smooth and a little heavy on the oak. If you are a fan of oak, it will please you. This is definitely a higher sugar Cabernet Sauvignon. It would pair well with dark chocolate or red meat.

Rating

I like this wine. It isn’t complex. It is a little too sweet. I rate it 86 points.

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2008 Gumdale Merlot

On November 8, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2008 Gumdale Merlot by Wakely Vintners in Australia. I found this for under $7 and the only complaint I have about the packaging is a desire for a screw cap. I previously found the 2007 Gumdale Merlot to be a good value.

Color

This wine is ruby red in the glass. A little too thin.

Aroma

The wine shows good black pepper on the nose combined with other herbs and vegetables. I detect red currants as well. This wine is pretty strong aromatically overall with a hint of oak.

Flavor

I get quite a bit of oak right off the bat along with some good blackberries. The mid-palate has cherry and the finish has some coffee and spice. This wine is young and a bit hot. It is labeled as 13.5% alcohol. I’d like to see the fruit more in balance with the alcohol so that it would finish smoother. Nice tannic structure on the finish. This would make a good pizza wine.

Rating

Unless you are a true Merlot fan, then I would not recommend this wine. I think the Gumdale Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon (and blends) are superior. I rate this 85 points.

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2007 Thorn Clark Terra Barossa Shiraz

On November 5, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Terra Barossa Shiraz by Thorn Clark Wines in Australia. I found this bottle for under $11. This 100% Shiraz varietal comes with a screw cap (excellent). It was aged in American Oak for 12 months.

Color

This is a typical Shiraz. Gorgeous dark purple. Almost ink like.

Aroma

Dark fruit nose with blackberry and black currant. I also detect some mint (perhaps Eucalyptus), dark chocolate and pepper. Quality aroma when given some time to decant.

Flavor

Blackberry shows up on the attack along with plum. Good mid-palate with raspberry and cherry. The finish is very long with the oak contributing and some good tannins. This is an explosion of dark fruits throughout. I even get some mulberry on the transition from the mid-palate to the finish. It doesn’t show a lot of spice or herbal characteristics. This is a big wine and will pair well with red meat and bleu cheese.

Rating

I like this wine and recommend it. If you like new world red wines, then this is definitely a winner. I rate it 90 points.

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2008 Gumdale Shiraz Cabernet

On November 4, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

As you recall from my Aroma: Eucalyptus post, I promised to taste some wines which are supposed to show eucalyptus. Thus today I am tasting the 2008 Gumdale Shiraz Cabernet by Wakley Vintners in Australia. With a name like Gumdale and being surrounded by Eucalyptus trees, I figure the aroma and flavor will be obvious. I acquired this bottle with the plastic cork (screw-cap would be better) of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon for under $7. The label touts the mint and eucalyptus flavors from the Cabernet Sauvignon so I am excited to try it. Though I admit I would probably have difficulty distinguishing the mint from the eucalyptus consistently. I’ve got to train more.

Color

The color in the glass is purple/black inky dark. Real dark stuff.

Aroma

Great aroma wafting out of the glass long before I have even gotten close to picking it up. Definitely showing eucalyptus on the nose. Very much that menthol type of effect it produces. There is also some blackberry and cedar.

Flavor

Sweet fruit on the attack. There is very ripe red raspberry and cherry which turns syrupy on the mid-palate. But it is so sweet as to taste artificial. The finish shows some tannins and black pepper. But the sugary red fruit syrup continues to linger. This won’t pair well with a lot of food, but could match up well with a fruity desert.

Rating

This was just way too sweet for my palate. I rate it 80 points. But considering the low price, it provides a cheap, effective way to test out whether you like or dislike the eucalyptus aroma in wine.

Do you like the presence of eucalyptus?

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2006 Razor’s Edge Shiraz

On November 3, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the Razor’s Edge 2006 Shiraz from South Australia. It is nicely packaged with a screw top. Didn’t find their website, so I can only assume it is 100% Shiraz (Syrah) varietal. I found it at under $10.

Color

Nice dark purple for this wine.

Aroma

Interesting nose for a Shiraz. It seems to contain more vegetable notes than what I would normally expect from an Australian product. I detect asparagus and herbs.

Flavor

This wine is really smooth. I believe I detect quite a bit of oak on the attack. But the fruit on this wine is very good. Dark sweet fruits dominate the attack and mid-palate. Black cherry, Black berries, and black raspberries are there. Finishes nicely with lingering spices including black pepper and mild tannins. This wine definitely exhibits all the extreme fruitiness of a shiraz, but it does it very smoothly. The one thing it lacks is the spicy aspect that I enjoy. It will pair well with dark meat.

Rating

This Shiraz is very strong for a wine priced in the single digits. I recommend you try it. I rate it 89 points.

Have you tried it?

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2007 Hardys Stamp of Australia Shiraz

On November 1, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Stamp of Australia Shiraz by Thomas Hardy and Sons (part of Constellation Brands, Inc.) of South Eastern Australia. I found this wine for under $6. Now that Constellation has purchased it, I expect it will soon be widely available.

Color

Deep purple dominates the color in the glass.

Aroma

Loads of dark fruit on the nose. I detect plums and blackberries.

Flavor

Sweet dark fruit on the attack. I get mulberry and blackberry at first with a mid-palate showing dark cherries. It finishes long with black pepper and other spices. This is a wine which is full of fruit and spice. It has a viscous mouth feel and will pair well with dark meats.

Rating

I recommend you try this if you are on a budget and like new world fruit. I rate it 86 points.

I love Syrah that has a pepper flavor. What do you like?

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2007 Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz

On October 24, 2009, In Red, By dcpatton

Today I am tasting the 2007 Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz from Southern Australia. This 100% Shiraz is aged in oak and comes with a screw cap. Woohoo! Well done mates. I found it available for under $14. I’ve had previous vintages and was very pleased. It looks like the popularity is driving up the price a bit so it is going to have to rate well to beat the 2006 Gumdale Shiraz. Anyone know of a region that is producing good Shiraz under $10?

Color

Very dark in color, primarily purple.

Aroma

This wine has a gorgeous aroma. There is a herbaceous nose with spices such as black pepper and mint. It also exhibits dark fruit such as blackberry and plums. I also detect some oak.

Flavor

Rich dark fruit flavors are present on the attack. There is blackberry and black cherry dominating early. The mid-palate is a little flat but sour cherries start to show up. The finish is long with sour cherry and some spices. I also find that the finish has some dark chocolate coming through. Very nice finish. This is a big bold wine with lots of flavor and texture. It should pair very well with steak.

Rating

I like this wine and recommend it paired with red meat. I rate it 91 points.

Have you tried this wine? What flavor or aroma did you detect?

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