Wine Code Breaker #424

2021 Philip Shaw The Idiot Shiraz, Orange, New South Wales

Mt Canobolas dominates the Orange wine region at 1,309 metres above sea level. Sitting on the Great Dividing Range, it is a goading instrument for the clouds that can shroud it in the wintery months. There are some vineyards sited on its slopes; some at around 900 metres. This is cool climate territory. Coupled with bright sunshine during the ripening months, the region is a producer of bright elegant fruit.

The 2021 Philip Shaw The Idiot Shiraz from Orange in New South Wales is an instant delight. A very bright red with purple hues that bounce around as the liquid settles in the glass. On the nose, the cool climate elegance is expressed through white pepper and hints of liquorice complimented by the dusty cedar and vanilla bean and savoury pencil shaving characters. Red fruits and plums supported by pepper berries, savoury tones and fine velvety sandy tannins delivering a persistent finish. At its price point, you would be an idiot not to track down a few bottles of The Idiot.

Enjoy!

Rating: 92 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 13.8%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $24

Tasted: February 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #423

2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, South Australia

An update from the archives…Homer Simpson introduced viewers to the world of topology in an episode called “the Wizard of Evergreen Terrace”. This line of mathematics considers a square and a circle to be identical or homeomorphic because a square can be transformed into a circle. Homer followed this rule by demonstrating he could transform a doughnut into sphere, albeit the doughnut had a bite out of it because Homer considered the nibbling or biting of a doughnut as a necessity. Imagine a doughnut without a bite; doh! Thus, these two shapes were proved to be homeomorphic or Homermorphic. Cabernet Sauvignon in its youth can present as a doughnut where the palate has a strong or dominating front and back plates pushing the middle into the background. At first you may seem underwhelmed yet with time, nibbling or biting of the aging process, the palate fills out more completely presenting as a sphere that is wholly satisfying.

The 2021 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon from the Coonawarra district in South Australia is beyond a text book example of this classic grape; more a masterclass. Dark garnet with hues of blacks and purples flashing throughout. Being youthful, this wine needs air to show at its best. The nose with swirling presents bunches of blackberries, blueberries and cassis. Minerals, herbs, tobacco and minty notes add depth. The palate is firmly structured, yet elegant with an apparent hole as a doughnut emphasised by the bright dark blackberries at the front and the herbs and tobacco and savoury spicey oak at the rear. The tannins are powdery, akin to talc, and supportive of a long persistent finish. With its pedigree, and the year, it is a wine that will age beautifully over many years.

Truly, a Homermorphic wine.

Enjoy!

Rating: 96 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 13.4%

Drink: Now; 10+ yrs

Price: $45

Tasted: March 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #422

2020 Tonic Chardonnay, Yarra Valley, Victoria

To white ant someone is to subvert or undermine from within. It is an Australian slang expression often used in reference to political groups. Of course, it comes from the action of termites that surreptitiously eat away at wooden structures from the inside, only for you to discover too late that all support and strength has crumbled away. To white ant is also an Australian way of making a nod to International Stab Someone in the Back Day. Not heard of this day? Surprising. It is better known as the “Ides of March” that is celebrated on March 15. I have found a glass of wine is the preferred way to drown the urge to white ant or stab someone in the back.

The 2020 Tonic Chardonnay is from the Yarra Valley in Victoria. It is a light yellow golden-coloured wine begins to soften the urge. The nose is all lemons and stone fruits with a ginger spice. The palate brings in peaches, oatmeal, buttered toast and lemon curd. Its creamy tannins lead the way to bliss and its persistence is the perfect tonic against any thoughts of white anting or stabbing.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 12.4%

Drink: Now; 3-10 yrs

Price: $40

Tasted: February 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #421

2021 Mollydooker The Boxer Shiraz, McLaren Vale, SouthAustralia

Australian slang has a way of confounding and confusing in an amusing way. As Australian society has continued to grow and become more globally astute we have started to lose some of that Strine that makes us famous the world over. Take Mollydooker for instance. This is an Australian expression for a left handed person. It is not often heard anymore whereas once, it was not uncommon to hear references made about, say a Mollydooker batsmen. Where has it come from? Well, I conducted some detailed research and discovered that the “molly” implies an effeminate male and “dookers” refers to one’s hands. There is a long and tortuous explanation that establishes the origins of “dooks” or “dukes” as being derived from pick pocketing, forks and rhyming slang variant of this ending up as the Duke of York.

The 2021 Mollydooker The Boxer is a Shiraz from McLaren Vale in South Australia. It is black in colour and searingly so. Inhale deeply and there is dark plum fruit, blueberries, blackberries and smallgoods with a smokey complexity. Liquorice, spice, black fruits and black jubes on the palate supported by chalky tannins and balanced acid. It will not be for everyone with its higher alcohol, but I reckon this plonk is a bonza ripper, mate!

Enjoy!

Rating: 93 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 15.5%

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $35

Tasted: February 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #420

Seppelt Original Sparkling Shiraz, Victoria

An update from the archives…Onomatopoeia is one of those marvelous words in the English language. It involves the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named. Think of sizzle. The very mention of this word evokes thoughts of eggs, bacon and sausages “sizzling” in a pan. What about rustle? This brings to the fore images of rolling around in those autumnal leaves that strangely fall around Autumn. What about wine and onomatopoeia? Let’s see how it could work.

The Seppelt Original Sparkling Shiraz is crafted from fruit plucked from vines throughout Victoria and is a blend of vintages. Crunch and crinkle goes the removal of the foil and wire with a squeaking as the cork is eased from the vassal. Pop it goes where uncontrolled in its release or hiss when eased slowly. Whooshing and a gushing of bright purple red liquid gurgles into your glass. “Mmmm” you go as you reflect on its colour. Sniff, sniff leads to an achoo with the peppery notes dominating. “Ahh” you go as the plummy fruit and liquorice spice precedes a raising of your eyebrows. The rushing of the bead across the palate fizzles pleasingly as you gargle and gurgle. Plummy fruit, cloves and spices present a lovely mouthfeel and an extended finish that leaves you hooting for more or whimpering and w(h)ining when there is no more. A perfect accompaniment to a good old Aussie BBQ or gobbling with turkey.

Enjoy!

Rating: 93 pts

Closure: Cork

Alc: 13.5%

Drink: Now

Price: $25

Tasted: January 2024

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Wine Code Breaker #419

2018 Teusner Sparkling MC Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia

An update from the archives…one of the more remarkable and less celebrated Australian inventions is sparkling Shiraz. Yes, that’s right, sparkling Shiraz. The famous sparklers from Champagne are made by the methode champenoise. This same process is used to make sparkling Shiraz. Pouring a sparkling Shiraz for the first time can be a bit disconcerting; there is a deep blackish-red liquid flowing to the bottom of the glass while a bright foamy layer of red bubbles forms on top. This is a style that I really enjoy, so much so that I attempted to make my own sparkling Shiraz using a Shiraz table wine and a soda stream. This method, methode stupide, is not recommended.

The 2018 Teusner Sparkling MC Shiraz from the Barossa Valley in South Australia is for something special that will challenge the senses. It has a wonderful colour, bright and deep at the same time with a topping of stunning crimson bubbles. A perfumed nose with layers of plums, blackberry fruit and pudding type influences. The palate has a sensationally fine bead that provides a platform for the flavours to dance around. Rich savoury, bright cherry, raspberry, and plum tones intermingle with fine oak influence, milk chocolate, and creamy texture, complicated by the extended lees maturation. The mouthfeel is a stunner and leaves an extended, lingering finish.

So, when do you serve a sparkling Shiraz? Anytime! It suits most meal types including bacon and eggs at 7am, roast turkey on Christmas Day or cheeses and fruits on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Enjoy!

Rating: 95 pts

Closure: Crown seal

Alc: 14%

Drink: Now; 3-10 yrs

Price: $50

Tasted: November 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #418

2022 Penfolds Bin 21 Grenache, Barossa Valley, South Australia

Australia is girt by sea. A fact that is irrefutable. You could argue that Barossa Grenache is girt by Shiraz. In fact, the girtage factor of Shiraz to Grenache is 10 to 1. And like Australia as an island of the Southern oceans, Barossa Grenache stands out brightly contrasting against the hue of magenta reds. It is more crimson in colour, more elegant today than of the fortifieds of yesteryear. Maybe you could call it a warmer climate version of Pinot Noir.

The 2022 Penfolds Bin 21 Grenache is from the Barossa Valley in South Australia represents the first Bin release. It is a bright, crimson-coloured wine with some darker hues marking its place. The nose is a beacon with its fragrant and perfumed notes and hints of charcuterie. Raspberries and liquorice meld to become sarsaparilla-like. The palate flows energetically with pronounced red raspberry fruits, pomegranates and cherry pith girting the citrus zest. Its emery board and talc-like tannins juxtapose the acidity to deliver a long lingering, savoury finish. This leaves you thinking, perhaps the girtitude of Grenache needs to be improved upon.

Acknowledgement to David Hunt of ‘Girt’ fame for the inspiration.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 3-10 yrs

Price: $45

Tasted: September 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #417

2021 Fire Gully Farm & Vineyard Cabernet Merlot, Margaret River, Western Australia

Ancient gravelly loam soils in the Willyabrup region of Margaret River are the home to vines now dating back to the 1980s. A system of brooks, along with the coast some 4 kilometres away, offers a tempering effect, providing the cooling blanket that slows the ripening, ensuring increased flavour intensity and elegance. It is in this marvellous microclimate that Cabernet Sauvignon and friends appear to thrive as individuals and marvel as a blend.

The 2021 Fire Gully Farm and Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is from a small vineyard within the Willyarbrup sub-region of Margaret River in Western Australia. It is a dark red-coloured wine that on the nose has a melding of cassis, herbs, plums, green beans, and coffee with wafts of dark chocolate. On the palate, the cassis is to the fore, with chocolate being more mocha-like. The tannins are fine grained and lightly gripping. This presents as an elegant structure with a defining, lingering finish.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: N/A

Drink: Now; 3-7 yrs

Price: $35 (or thereabouts)

Tasted: August 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #416

2022 SC Pannell Fi Fi Fiano, McLaren Vale, South Australia

Fiano, as a grape, is a producer of a sugary pulp that is highly attractive to bees. Its origins are thought to date back to ancient Roman times, evolving from the grape Apianum, which of course is a Latin derivation of bees. Being a relatively low yielding variety, this is a relief for those who tend the vineyards as with higher yields, the air would be awash with bees making picking a stinging experience. Migrating to the Southern hemisphere, Fiano has now made a hive on Australian shores. McLaren Vale is one of its most notable new homes.

The 2022 SC Pannell Fi Fi Fiano is from McLaren Vale in South Australia. A light, pale yellow-coloured wine with a slight green tinge. The nose is awash with citrus, gooseberries and a herbaceous mineral edge. On the palate there is fresh honeysuckle that smacks the cheeks, balanced by crisp acidity to deliver a delightful finish without a sting.

Enjoy!

Rating: 92 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 12%

Drink: Now; 1-3 yrs

Price: $27

Tasted: August 2023

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Wine Code Breaker #415

2021 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia

‘Envy is the bond between the hopeful and the damned’ sings David Gilmour adding colour to the lyrics of Roger Waters and the music of Pink Floyd. From the song ‘Green is the colour’, it is laden with poetic references that link the metaphysical to the physical world that surrounds our everyday life. The lyric is simple, yet truly complex in meaning. A little envy can push us to experience new things. Too much, and you will be condemned as the damned, Hades bound. Barossa Shiraz, like envy, is the bond between living and existing, something worth coming back to as a benchmark for vinous experiences.

The 2021 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz, a single vineyard from the Barossa Valley in South Australia is a simple yet complex wine. Deeply coloured, almost dimming the colours of the day. Heavy hangs the aromas, lifted on a breeze of a swirling glass, tendrils of smoke that cannot be grasped, yet sensed; red and black fruits, spices, coffee and mocha bridging the metaphysical. Bold is the palate, sweet red fruits rimmed with spices, coffee granules and chocolate soften the velvety tannins. The denseness of the flavours is the platform from simplicity to complexity. Lingering enough for both the hopeful and the damned.

Enjoy!

Rating: 94 pts

Closure: Screwtop

Alc: 14.5%

Drink: Now; 5-10 yrs

Price: $45

Tasted: June 2023

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