PalateMatch

Today I am tasting the 2008 Gumdale Shiraz by Wakley Vintners from Southeastern Australia. I’ve recently tried the 2006 Gumdale Shiraz and the 2007 Gumdale Shiraz. The 2006 was a very good wine. This value wine (under $7) is cleanly packaged and has a plastic cork. I dislike real cork, do you? Now if they could just start using screw tops that would be even better.

Color

As with most Shiraz wines, this is a dark purple wine. It doesn’t really have the black color of some top notch red wines.

Aroma

Beautiful nose of dark fruit and herbs. There is black currant and black pepper present along with some bell pepper. Very nice. Dark fruits dominate, but the green vegetables are there too.

Flavor

On the attack there are some sweet dark fruits present. Blackberries and black currant quickly fade away and the mid-palate shows a little black cherries with a lot of black pepper. The finish is long and dominated by the pepper. I love the spice that good shiraz has but this wine seems to be almost one dimensional. This wine shows almost no tannins. So even though it is a 2008 I recommend drinking it now.

Rating

The 2008 Gumdale Shiraz is a good wine. My only complaint is that is rather limited in the number of flavors present. I rate it 87 points. Overall, I say look for the 2006 vintage.

Today I am tasting the 2007 Black Swan Shiraz from Southeastern Australia. Packaged in a nice label with a plastic cork (screw cap next?), this Shiraz (Syrah) is available for under $5. If it scores well, it will be hard to find better value.

Color

The color is very dark, but not the blackest of Shiraz I’ve had.

Aroma

Blackberries and pepper are immediately noticeable on the nose. This wine has a small amount of vegetable component too which is a plus. There is also a hint of thyme.

Flavor

The attack shows some dark fruit such as black cherries and black currant. The mid-palate seems a little flat, but the finish is a nice smokey pepper. The tannins are almost completely missing, so drink this wine now. Although it is not the most complex wine, it should pair nicely with red meat and other smoked meats.

Rating

For the price, I recommend you give this wine a try. I rate it 86 points.

Have you found a Shiraz with that complex spicy flavor which is characteristic of the varietal?

From Wakely Vinters in southeastern Australia, I am tasting the 2006 Gumdale Shiraz. I’ve previously tried the 2007 Gumdale Shiraz. At under $7, this is a definite value wine. Shiraz is a favorite varietal of mine and I am excited to find such an affordable bottle.

Aroma

This wine has an aroma of intense fruit. It is very nice with dark fruits such as blackberries, blueberries and cherries. There is definitely some herbaceous smells combined with black pepper. It may sound odd, but I can also smell arugula in it. Really a fascinating and pleasant wine.

Flavor

The fruit is really strong on the attack with sweet grape juice. Next, sour cherries dominate the mid-palate. It finishes strong with a great smokey pepper meets dark chocolate flavor. The finish is very long. This wine has a great balance of alcohol, acid and fruit. The flavors make tasting it a nice long complex journey. Make sure to notice the finish when you exhale, those aromas on the backend really are nice. This should pair well with steak and possibly even chocolate.

Rating

I definitely think this is one of the strongest wines at this price point. I recommend you try it and I rate it 90 points.

Have you tried any of the Gumdale Shiraz vintages?

The 2007 Milton Park Shiraz from the Barossa valley in Australia has been receiving some good reviews. It comes handsomely packaged with a sandpiper on the label and a always appreciated screw cap. It is a value play and previous vintages have been equally well received.

Aroma

Dark fruit is combined with spice on the nose of this dark red wine. I detect plum, cherries, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and even a little vegetable action such as cauliflower. I don’t get any floral components. This is a strong nose and I instantly think of Shiraz and a steak. It exhibits a complex and intense aroma which I appreciate.

Flavor

The dark fruit shows up immediately on the palate, but it is accompanied by a very nice smokey flavor. The mid-palate shows some sour cherries and other fruity flavors and the back-end displays the spices with a nice long finish. This is a full-bodied wine which is intense. It isn’t full of bitter tannins, but they are there. For my palate it isn’t too sweet, but has a lot of fruit balanced by good acidity and spices. Really a great sophisticated flavor profile.

Rating

I like this wine a lot! I think it is very good for my palate. If you like the spicy, smokey flavor balanced with fruits, then this is a solid choice. And it can be found for under $10, which is another positive. I am going to strongly recommend this wine and rate it 92 points.

Have you tried it yet? If not, I encourage you to do so and let me know what you think.

Today I am tasting the 2007 Gumdale Shiraz by Wakley Vintners from Southeastern Australia. This value wine is cleanly packaged and has a plastic cork. I dislike real cork, do you? Now if they could just start using screw tops that would be even better. This will be an interesting tasting as the Australian Shiraz community has come under heavy criticism for using too much oak combined with fake fruit flavors. Shiraz (or Syrah) is one of my favorite varietals and I always look for it to be spicy. Will the gum trees (eucalyptus) aromatically influence this wine.

Aroma

I immediately smell the spices in it. There is cracked pepper, green onion, and a little black currant. One thing I like about it is it doesn’t have any fake floral component. Instead there is a hint of the terroir in the nose. This is a pretty good nose, with subtle dark fruits, spices, and vegetables.

Flavor

The initial flavor is quite sweet and fruity. The mid-palate has a strong sour cherry component. The finish shows some of the spices. I also detect ripe raspberries. This is a medium bodied wine with minimal tannins. I think it should be consumed now and could pair well with darker meats. It would also go well with blue cheese. I am a little disappointed with the weight of this wine and with the lack of spice. However, it is a smooth wine and the sour fruit flavor is a positive.

Rating

This is an average Shiraz. I don’t consider it to be special other than the price being a good value. I am going to score it 87 points.

If you have tried this wine what did you discover on the nose and palate?

Today I am tasting the 2007 Diamond Label Shiraz from the Rosemount Estate in Australia. I found this Syrah for under $6. This review will be conducted over multiple days to see if I can detect any changes in the flavors and aromas as this bottle breathes.

Day One

Just opened.

Color

In the glass it is a rich purple.

Aroma

The nose is showing well with blackberry and pepper aromas. It also has a asparagus component. Very nice nose.

Flavor

The attack is a combination of black currant and black cherry. On the mid-palate, there is a great cola flavor to go with the black cherry. It finishes a little hollow with more of the black cherry cola flavor. This should pair well with strong dishes containing smoked meat.

Rating

For the price, this wine definitely offers good value. It is a little simple and fruit driven. I rate it 87 points.

Day Two

After re-corking the bottle, it has now been 24 hours. It will be interesting to see if anything has changed.

Color

Still a beautiful dark purple in the glass.

Aroma

Blackberry and black currant are present. The black currant is almost like a Crème de cassis liqueur aroma. It is very aromatic and quite nice on the nose.

Flavor

Huge fruit on the attack. The blackberry continues from the nose along with plum. The mid-palate exhibits lots of black cherries and the finish is now longer with more fruit and a little cola. I get no spices or herbaceous notes. This is definitely a fruit bomb.

Rating

For my palate, I’d like to experience some more flavors. If you like the New World fruit, then this is a wine for you. It is simple but tasty. It is also a great value. I rate it 88 points.

Summary

Interestingly, when I first tried this wine it showed some Old World characteristics such as the vegetable aroma and cola flavor. But by day two it was all New World aromas and flavors. Have you tried this wine? If so, did you get New World or Old World characteristics?