From the Archives #2: A Perfectly Cellared Red Dozen
It is always a joy to slurp a red that has been properly cellared. The tannins have softened, the acid is in balance and the fruit is at its best, with primary fruit still kicking and secondary characters emerging. There is always a risk with cellaring though; that you might leave a wine too long and end up with something past its best, or completely stuffed - as palatable as a fermented shark and century egg sandwich... so we’ve taken one for the team, tried all of these recently and can confirm they are all drinking beautifully!
We’ve collected this lot carefully over the last 6 months or so, trying each of them more than a few times, to make sure they are all cherry ripe and ready for you to enjoy.
This is a mighty Shiraz, rich dark cocoa and coffee licks mix seductively with and a beautiful cedar platter. Dark fruit and five spice float through the palate lingering to a long finish of fine tannin.
A truly beautiful and fruit driven blend of Grenache, Mataro and Shiraz. The Grenache here brings spice, confected notes, raspberries, rhubarb and sour cherry. The Mataro offers chocolate, brooding brambles and other slightly angry things sourced from dungeons deep. The Shiraz brings blue and black fruits, chocolate and fine, fine tannins. It’s a mad mélange this, one we’ll tip our hat to, whilst asking for it to be filled.
Deep dark and brooding, this Cab offers up blackcurrants, dark chocolate and superfine tannins. Delicious now but should last a decade if you store it somewhere nice and cool.
A wonderfully old fashioned style of Shiraz this, aged in old oak and released at 5 years of age – ready to drink! This is balanced and fresh, offering dark fruits, savoury notes, cherries, liquorice, middle eastern spices, white pepper and eucalyptus. Drink any time over the next 10 years.
Described on the Real Review as ‘a Clare Valley Classic’, this is a full bodied, full throttle beast, just coming into its own at six years of age. Black and red fruits here, vanilla, berries and plenty of tannin. Tastes even better on day two.
