- 2001 Henschke Shiraz Mt. Edelstone - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Eden Valley (8/12/2007)
14% abv, 51,20€. Dark red colour. Opened for a good friend of mine who likes Aussie Shiraz. We had a chunk of beef for dinner. This wasn't a very tannic wine (very fruit forward rather), so I perhaps shouldn't have left it so red, but since I like my meat a bit on the red side I didn't mind.
The nose is very primary with a great concentration of sweet, red toned fruit with some darker, tarry notes also. There is much oak, but as it doesn't hide all the other aspects I have faith that it will integrate with time. The palate is big, rather too smooth on the entry, but it does have refreshing acidity on the finish. The fruit is very primary and sweet. Long aftertaste. I rarely enjoy Aussie Shiraz, but I do think this is a great example of that style. I have read that this property has had some problems with brett - but this didn't (sadly, as I like a touch!) have even the tiniest hint of it. - 2004 Cave de Turckheim Pinot Blanc Granit de la Vallée - France, Alsace, Turckheim, Alsace AOC (8/10/2007)
16,52€, 12,5%abv, plastic "cork". Just a quick drop drunk over a couple days: stir fried chinese; salmon pasta and was nice with both. Light gold. A nose of ripe red apple. The palate has a good concentration of fruit, nice acidity and surprising length for a "cheaper" wine (by Finnish standards anyway). Nice, but at least this bottle made me wonder why such a wine with so little minerality bears such a name on the lable! A pleasant drop nonetheless.
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