2009 Streicker ‘Bridgeland Block’ Syrah

A Margaret River name unfamiliar to most, although John Streicker has been turning out small volumes of wine from his Bridgeland, Ironstone and Yallingup vineyards for several years now.

Lively, purpling, blood red colour. The nose opens to bright redcurrants, violets, dried herbs and flowers; savoury meats and some smoky char. On the spicy side there’s cinnamon and white pepper – the bestest of peppers to be found in shiraz in my view. The oak starts to kick in more as the wine opens – it’s on the varnishy, yet toasty side. There’s also some intense coffee and crushed ant aromas (better than it probably sounds), and after a glass or two the nose pours out more complex, sweet and lovely perfumed aromas. Sexy.

The tannins are evident on the palate – a little powdery, but turning silky with time in glass. It’s a nice mid-weight style with beautifully balanced structure - acid/oak/fruit all in harmony. On the flavour side there’s a good balance of sweet/savoury, and a creamy brew of blueberry and redcurrant, some vanillan, pencilly oak, and a gorgeous smattering of white pepper. The finish is long and smooth.

Vibe
Yep, this is very nice booze. It’s an easy drink for a 2009 at this point, but there’s an element of seriousness to it. Then when it kicks into higher gear it really starts to assert itself and become more expressive. The structure should see it cellar mid-term but she’s looking the goods right now too.
Value: $38.50 by mail order – sure is a big price. Maybe too high for some, but at least you know you are getting something quite smart, if not quite in the brilliant category.
Tasted: September 2011
Closure: Screwcap
Source: Sample

Tech-head
Producer: Streicker Wines – www.streickerwines.com.au. The label was established in 2002 around the time John Streicker purchased his vineyards – Ironstone (Wilyabrup), Yallingup Protea Farm (Yallingup), and subsequently the Bridgeland vineyard (Rosa Glen).
Region: Margaret River, Western Australia.
Site: Bridgeland Vineyard, south-east of the township Margaret River – a cooler subregion with longer growing season.
Winemaking: Open ferment. Matured for 18 months in French oak.
Vintage: A mild and gentle growing season with no rain, hail, or bird issues, however a Looper bug infestation did knock some vineyards about and yields were low. Generally however, this is an excellent year.

2008 Xanadu Shiraz

Another Margaret River red found it’s way onto the bench this week – a shiraz this time – the discreet mistress variety in this cabernet-centric, cool-climate region Western Australia. Xanadu have been around since 1977, and wine devotees will remember well the public listing, the rapid increase in production, the awkward management that led to the temporary demise of the beloved label. And the resurrection under the reins of the Rathbone family. But... to the wine.

Dark red, muddy sort-of colour. A not-very-traditional meaty aroma greeted, with smoky char, burnt cherry, or sweet tar? A light prickle for the senses. More recognisable characters of blackberry and red-fruits, carob, black olive and cinnamon quill. There’s a purple-ness about this wine. Purple for me describes a freshness and richness, a youth of sorts, a vibrancy. The oak looks silky, but it’s definitely on show. Actually, it ebbs and flows, but is always precise. There’s a little green/white pepper. The muddiness = less varietal character, but no less interesting.

The palate strikes me as creamy, yet still murky, and the finish is drying a little. Medium weight, it is bassy and the forest floor flavours dominate. But I also see redcurrants, plum and raspberry – quite a sweet palate really, but dense. Smoky BBQ char again, tannins firmish – will need some food (duly supplied in the form of osso bucco). On the warm side maybe, but this wine opens beautifully in the glass and shows some seductive shapes and flavours, while at the same time feels secretive and restrained. Yes, the finish is drying but the food sorted that out.

Vibe
Really enjoyed this over two nights. It’s got some mystery, and in many ways lacks varietal definition, but who gives a toss really. It’s a bloody nice drink. It charms even when you lift the glass, and your eyes absorb the muddy colour before it reaches your nose and lips. X-Factor? Yeah, there’s that. As is often the case, the food really allowed this wine to show it’s best. Good stuff.
Value: A $29 retail price is most comfortable.
Tasted: August 2011
Closure: Screwcap
Source: Gift

Tech-head
Producer: Xanadu Wines – www.xanaduwines.com. Established in 1977 by the Lagan family, doctors who migrated from Ireland in 1968. Rapid growth and a public listing in the mid-90’s saw the spectacular collapse of the company. The current owners, the Rathbones, bought the assets of the business in 2005 and seem to be doing a sterling job of rebuilding the brand. Winemaker – Glenn Goodall.
Region: Margaret River, central.
Site: Roughly half the fruit is estate grown from the Stevens Road vineyard in central Margaret River, and the rest from growers. No specific site info available.
Winemaking: Partial whole berry fermentation, combination of tank and French oak maturation. A dash of Viognier is in here too.
Vintage: A classic vintage. 2008 was an excellent year in the region, following on from the superb 2007. The 08’s tended to have a little more structure in both whites and reds – a little firmer and robust, without losing that general elegance of Margs. Probably the 08's will outlive the 07's.

2004 Chatto Shiraz

I found this at the back of the ‘drinking cupboard’ – the cupboard reserved for wine slated for drinking at the next available opportunity. I can’t remember when the hell it got in there but it was obviously some time ago because I have no idea where it came from and it was all dusty.

A ruby, brick red colour, it attacks nervously with varnishy, charry oak, before settling down to flaunt fruit aromas of black plum, dark cherry and redcurrant. There’s typical pepper – black and white – licorice, chocolate, mocha, and some lovely aromatics of lavender and lanolin. On the savoury side there’s dark meats, mushroom and scorched earth. Medium bodied, the oak is strong (and French I think) but doesn’t tip too far.

On the palate it is equal parts murky dark and clean vibrancy, still exhibiting primary fruit flavours. Black plum and cherry again, pepper, and add blackberry and christmas cake to the list. Still a grippy wine, and taut, until an hour or two of air when it begins to fully open and express itself.

Vibe
Enjoying it still as it continues to evolve in the glass. It still feels like a baby and makes me wonder how many of these styles of wines are actually cellared appropriately, given their release dates of some years earlier.
Value: A web search reveals this wine was released at $35, which is higher than I’d guessed, but not unreasonable. I taste wines as ‘blind’ as possible so I had no idea of pricing, or other factors for that matter.
Tasted: August 2011
Closure: Screwcap
Source: Unknown!

Tech-head
Producer: Chatto Wines – Jim Chatto’s own label established in 2000. He now works for Peppertree as far as I can tell. Not sure if he’s still making wines under Chatto label. Anyone?
Region: Hunter Valley, Pokolbin.
Site: 40 – 50 year-old vines.
Vintage: A mild lead-in to vintage until a heat spike in Jan/Feb. Late Feb rain stuffed a few producers but those who picked before the deluge were rewarded.

2007 Torbreck ‘The Struie’

I employed my usual strategy of refraining from web research, reading back labels or tasting notes, but I knew, I just knew in my heart-of-hearts that this wine was going to be heavy on the ethanol. No surprises to follow. And there’s no introduction required to this Barossa producer so I’ll throw myself headlong into the task of bringing you a snippet of Struie – a 100% shiraz from the Eden and Barossa Valleys.

Deep, inky, blood-red with purpling edges. Kind-of exciting to see this colour – you know you’re in for a biggie. Dense dark plum and liquorice greet on opening, with some syrupy mocha and punch of pencilly oak. There’s mint and spice – cinnamon and clove, white + black pepper. It’s brambly and earthy with a touch of savoury tomato, while the fruit spectrum covers the dark and brooding black stuff to rich, red and blueberry aromas – it’s raisiny and sweet-smelling. Other characters I jotted down include caramelised fig, toffee apple, vanilla pod. It’s lush and plush.

The palate is red-fruited raisins, some blackcurrant slipping through, white spice and pepper and a little star anise mintiness. Chewy and flavoursome – savoury like rich, slow-cooked ragu, or tarry backstrap molasses, and sweet like a fiercely baked blackberry pie. This wine is cookin’. Rounded and complex, texturally soft and pliant – the tannins seem to be either very fine, or softened. The alcohol fleshes out the back palate with the dense, yet sinuous oak. They’ve really backed off the structural elements – tannin/acid – to bring you a wine of suppleness and flavour. Viscous to all hell.

Vibe
I enjoyed this. It was worryingly drinkable for a high-alc style. But to be honest, it doesn’t really have the X-Factor that you would expect from this label, and you know I love an X-Factor. Yes, the alcohol shows (it says 15% on  the label, but who knows?), but it’s not overdone for the style of wine. I think I enjoyed the recent bottle of big-alc Kay Brothers more than the Torbreck (see here for the Kay’s) but altogether this was an enjoyable beast over two nights – one with pizza, and one with lamb roast. Is good, is Torbreck, is not cheap, is not short of fans, is worth a look.
Value: Current release (2009) is $48.50 at cellar door. I vaguely recall buying this 2007 for $40-ish somewhere, so that makes sense. I think it’s OK, considering The Factor is currently $125 and The Laird $700.
Tasted: July 2011
Closure: Cork (a good specimen)
Source: Purchased

Tech-head
Producer: Torbreck – www.torbreck.com – established in 1994 by Dave Powell, formerly of Rockford. A share-farming and semi-virtual enterprise until the 2000’s when they acquired their own property – the Hillside vineyard in Lyndoch – and established their own winemaking and cellar door facility on a nearby property.
Region: Barossa and Eden Valleys, South Australia. Eden provides the varietal clarity and structure while the Barossa provides the power.
Site: 40 year-old Eden, 80 year-old Barossa.
Winemaking: Matured in old and new French oak for 18 months.
Vintage: Eden was hot, the hottest for a long time. The preceding winter was dry too. A little rain in Feb eased the pain. Early, short – yet she was a hottie and correspondingly a goodie. Much the same in Barossa – an early and short vintage, low yielding, but some good quality amongst the carnage.

2005 Kay Brothers Block 6 Shiraz

I walked into this one with only one expectation. That the love I once held for very ripe, rich, alcohol-laden, heavily-oaked shiraz from McLaren Vale had probably faded, or at best been superseded by far more fashionable drinking trends.

Two things happened. I realised I was right. And I realised I was wrong.

The colour is just shy of inky black and a swirl of the glass showed she was pretty viscous. Chocolate filled the air on opening, or to be precise – oaky chocolate. Sweet new oak. Caramel fudgy chocolatey oaky chocolateness. And pencilly oak too. You get the picture, but this wine smelled like new clothes, new furniture and new car all rolled into one. The fruit spectrum ranges from the dark spicy plum pudding to intensely aromatic bay leaf, cardamom, star anise, cassis and blackberry. It’s tarry and charry. There’s marzipan and cherry ripe too, and some gorgeous vanilla pod. So much primary fruitiness going on here for a wine of its age. And the peppery character often associated with this variety . It wasn’t completely clean or flawless – I detected a little VA plus a slight burnt toast character, which may have been a sulphide issue, but nothing to get too excited about. Finally, I have to say the alcohol was evident, yet it seemed perfectly at ease in the balance of things and I don’t think it looked in any way excessive.

The palate was like an extension of the nose – an ethereal seamlessness ran from one to the other. By the time the wine reached my open gob I was still heady from the aromas of the bouquet and it all melded into one, filling my senses with bold, rich, juicy shiraz. Flavours? Plum and raisins, and oak(!), sweet blackberry and mocha; black cherry chocolate. Texture? Velvety fine tannins, supple, smooth, long. Despite all of the above, I couldn’t call this wine ‘heavy’ – there was some (dare I say it) elegance to all the richness, and even (No!) some restraint. It finished warm, unsurprisingly, yet I still didn’t think the wine looked overly alcoholic. And then finally I checked the back label and saw ‘Alc: 16%’. What the...?

Vibe
A classic style, beautifully made in yesterday’s mould. I am right to say I have moved beyond these styles of wine, rarely drink them, and am no longer titillated by them. But I am wrong to say my love for them has faded. I am nostalgic for them and appreciate the style, commitment and artistry. And on the odd occasion I get to spill one into a glass I’m reminded of a time of great learning and development on my way to becoming a fully-fledged boorish wine berk.

As I drank this wine I saw all the elements in balance, all the buttons pushed, all the boxes ticked – and the world stood, for a moment, in harmony.

(I probably cracked this wine a little earlier than I should have, but I do prefer wines on the upward drinking escalator as opposed to the downward. I reckon this is drinking smashingly well and if you enjoy your bigger reds a little fresher with primary characters still to the fore, then get into one now).

Value: Purchased via mail order at $50/bottle. The Block 6 wines were extremely good value in the ‘90’s yet have increased rapidly with demand. I still think this is a pretty good value wine in the scheme if things. I can think of many other equally priced wines that may not be so worthy.
Tasted: March 2011
Closure: Screwcap

Tech-head
Producer: Kay Brothers Wines – www.kaybrothersamerywines.com – established 1890, family-owned. This wine is the flagship of the company and the fruit from estate-grown 100+ year vines.
Region: McLaren Vale, South Australia.
Vintage: A good year in the Vale. Plenty of winter rains, an even ripening season, a short/hot vintage and high sugars (therefore alcohols).