Here's a wine style that was formative in developing my interest in wine - although in this case it's less of a bruiser than it's reputation suggests.
1999 Baileys of Glenrowan Shiraz 1920's Block - Australia, Victoria, North East (11/6/2012)Still a deep, dark purple colour but there is just a little age showing at the rim.
The nose has strong cresote influence, but with cured meats and cherry and brambly fruit there as well, with a touch of vanilla in the background.
The palate sees the creosote aspect lingering alongside bright & juicy (& rich) cherry fruit. Acidity is quite fresh and this keeps any thoughts of flabbiness at bay.
Persistent finish.
I do struggle more than most with this creosote influence - for some this would be a wonderful addition of complexity, but for me it's a little bit of a distraction. That aside, certainly a good wine and far from being a gloop-monster.
1999 Baileys of Glenrowan Shiraz 1920's Block - Australia, Victoria, North East (3/6/2009)Opened at room temperature, poured form the bottle.
Still very deep, dark purple colour, with only the vaguest hint of age at the rim.
Nose of sweet black fruits with a slightly liquer-like quality, with a touch of tobacco. On the palate, there's certainly a decent full-to-medium body, but the still bright fruit is nicely balanced with refreshing acidity and the overall impression is a bit more stylish/elegant than you might expect. There's also some background tannin remaining and the finish is decent albeit at this stage lacking a little complexity.
This should age gracefully from here, perhaps for a decade more even. Not the image of hot climate reds we're becoming accustomed to.
Posted from CellarTracker