Category Archives: Red Wine – Australia

Clonakilla, Shiraz Viognier, 2018, Canberra, Australia

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Clonakilla, Shiraz Viognier, 2018, Canberra, Australia

Clonakilla, Shiraz Viognier, 2018, Canberra, Australia

Wine from Canberra, the capital of Australia is pretty rare yet this is one from Clonikilla is one of the best new world wines out there. It’s dry, bold and pretty smooth. There are aromas and flavours of plum, blackberry, raspberry, pepper and spices with hints of oak and tobacco all in perfect harmony.

It’s a wine to go with food and a steak is perfect. The price tag of £90 a bottle is pricey and that’s a shame as it will put people off trying it.

Dark Corner, Durif – Shiraz, 2021, Australia

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Dark Corner, Durif - Shiraz, 2021, Australia

Dark Corner, Durif – Shiraz, 2021, Australia

Dark Corner, Durif Shiraz is a real Australian heavy red wine that that’s you back a decade or two. This is a dry big hitting red with plenty of black fruit aromas and flavours.  There’s a chunk of spice thrown in for a wine that although smooth does shout meat and more of it. Its a wine that goes very well with steak or a hearty stew. A bit big on its own for me.

At £12 a bottle it’s OK value, you are unlikely to finish the bottle quickly.

 

Bird In Hand, Two In The Bush, Shiraz, 2020, South Australia.

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Bird In Hand, Two In The Bush, Shiraz, 2020, South Australia.

Bird In Hand, Two In The Bush, Shiraz, 2020, South Australia.

Another over oaked red wine from Australia or a fabulous Shiraz at a great price? well this Shiraz from the Bird In Hand in South Australian is more the later, smells and flavours of blackberry, plum, pepper and other spices with hints of chocolate, licorice and eucalyptus. Its dry with medium tannins and good length.

At £14 a bottle from Tesco its pretty good value, better when its on offer though.

 

Wynns, Coonawarra Estate, Shiraz 2019, Australia

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Wynns, Coonawarra Estate, Shiraz 2019, Australia

Wynns, Coonawarra Estate, Shiraz 2019, Australia

Wynns is a well known Australian brand which generally delivers and this is no exception, especially at the £15 price mark. It’s a bold wine but reasonably smooth and fairly dry but at the end of day is that softness that you can’t help but like.

There are aromas of chocolate and pepper, plum and blackberry and flavours dark black fruit and vanilla undertone. Spice and a little jamminess makes this really good. It’s more a food wine. Steak and BBQ foods a good starter.

Brand’s Laira, Blockers, Shiraz, 2013, Coonawarra, Australia

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Brand's Laira, Blockers, Shiraz, 2013, Coonawarra, Australia

Brand’s Laira, Blockers, Shiraz, 2013, Coonawarra, Australia

Coonawarra produce great, bold, flavourful red wines and this is good, not outstanding but it wont embarrass you if you served this with a chunk of red meat. With aromas and flavours of red and black fruits, pepper and oak. Its bold and pretty dry but 7 years on its smoothed out and is easy drinking. Have it with red meat or game bird and I’m sure you will enjoy drinking it, its worth taking your time and at £12 a bottle its OK value.

 

 

McGuigan Cellar, Select Shiraz 2016, Australia

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McGuigan wines are known for cheap and readily available and that’s a fair comment.

That doesn’t mean that they are not any good, but be realistic. This cellar select Shiraz is no different, enjoy it for what its worth, a £7 Shiraz. Its a one dimensional red wine with lots of black fruit, medium dry tannins with reasonable length but nothing else. No complexity and no multiple flavours.

This is not a great wine but a supermarket £7 red that is inoffensive and easy.

McGuigan Cellar Select Shiraz 2016, Australia

McGuigan Cellar Select Shiraz 2016, Australia

Iron Horse, Shiraz, Australia

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From Aldi this is a cheap Shiraz from Australia. It’s cheap and cheerful and pretty good. Aromas of red and black fruits, tobacco and spice with a bit of earthy undertone. The flavours following with additional jamminess. Dry and a bit heavy on the tannins for well under £10 it’s good value. I would eat a chunk of meat with this wine though, just to help soften the tannins.

Iron Horse Shiraz, Australia

Iron Horse Shiraz, Australia

McGuigan, Reserve Shiraz and Chardonnay, Australia

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You get what you pay for! Yep.

McGuigan do some very nice wine but pay more than £10 otherwise you get this for about £7 and you are not doing your liver any good.

First the compliments, the Shiraz is red wine. Thats it. Flubby red fruit flavours, not much aromas, dry but quite light which helps when drinking this. The medals on the bottle, like the Chardonnay don’t come from what’s in the bottle but for the brand.

Chardonnay, citrus aromas which come through on the taste and is joined by grapefruit. Sharp and a but harsh. If you take this to a party, either don’t open it or open it last, pour it down the sink and claim everyone drank it and loved it.

Sorry McGuigan you  can do so much better

McGuigan Reserve Shiraz and Chardonnay, Australia

McGuigan Reserve Shiraz and Chardonnay, Australia

Three Pillars, Shiraz, Australia

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Previous vintages have received ‘commended’ at Decanter World Wine Awards. This is a typical mass production Australian Shiraz. It’s not bad, but not amazing, but very drinkable and at under £10 a bottle, reasonable value. There’s blackberry and vanilla on the nose which comes through in the flavour. It’s dry with medium acidity and tannins. I can’t talk this wine up nor down, it’s easy drinking Shiraz. So drink.

Three Pillars, Shiraz 2015, Australia

Three Pillars, Shiraz 2015, Australia

Wine tasting at the Great Framingham Sausage Festival

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Each year Framingham in Suffolk host a sausage festival. In a good year about 10,000 people are expected to be there. This year the co-op hosted a VIP wine tasting with host Alison from www.wineathome.co.uk and Jane and Peter from Toppesfield Vineyard. There were 6 wines, a Cava, a prosecco, an English white a rose, an Australia Cab Sav and a Chilian Carmenere.

All the wines were good examples. The Cava was light with subtle tropical fruit flavours and breast notes. The prosecco was, well prosecco. I preferred to drink the Cava as it had more depth and flavours. The Toppesfield English Bacchus was truly excellent, it gets more flavours and refined each month I try it. The Shawsgate rose was pretty good, decent red fruit aromas and not as over powering on the taste buds as the colour might suggest. I’m a big Provence rose fan and the darker roses are usually my glass of wine. The 2 reds were a surprise. Carmenere was fruity, a bit of spice and vanilla thrown in, very happy I was. The Cab Sav was a JC moment, possibly the best was served last and one of the best reds I’ve tasted in a long time. Great black and red fruit aromas and flavours, firm but not over powering tannins, long finish and at £9 a bottle very reasonable.

Alison from www.wineathome.co.uk talking about sparkling wine

Alison from www.wineathome.co.uk talking about sparkling wine

Co-op wines tried at the Framingham Sausage Festival

Co-op wines tried at the Framingham Sausage Festival