Balgownie Estate
Church Block
d'Arenberg
Jester
Laughing Magpie
Mitolo
Wirra Wirra
Woop Woop
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Mitolo Jester 2002 McLaren Vale Shiraz
Ah yes, another great wine with a "Stelvin Closure."
Don't be alarmed, Stelvin Closures are more expensive than cork and
have 10X the integrity of cork.
If a winemaker chooses this style of closure, they must be serious about their wine.
Mitolo Jester Shiraz is a wine worth getting serious over.
The nose has notes of fresh baked cookies
while the fruit on the palate is dense like the finest made jam.
There are notes of cassis, plum, toasted vanilla, and a flirty wink of spearmint.
The finish is very spicy and the acid is ample.
The density of this juice is alluring, the structure with its balance of acidity and tannins
make it a great buy to drink now, or in a few years.
Retail price $18. Tasted September 17, 2003.
Hitting it out of the park with three out of possible three  .
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d'Arenberg Laughing Magpie 2001 Shiraz-Viognier
is, in my humble oppnion, the darling of the d'Arenberg line.
If you could describe fruit in terms of texture and color, this wine is plum-violet satin that has
had a bright, golden sheen applied to it.
The fruit flavors explode in your mouth as this wine redefines the meaning of "fruit-bomb."
The flavors are so available, as soon as you open the bottle the wine is open, juicy, and ripe.
The blend is modeled off of a traditional style produced in the Rhône Valley in Cote Rôtie.
Although only a touch of viognier exists in this wine, its presence adds perfume on the nose and
luscious spices and elegance on the palate.
Extremely ripe boysenberries, blueberries, and plums are graced by an ample push of licorice at the end.
The flavors are seamless and the finish has acidity and tannins that balance the wine to perfection.
Retail price $30. Tasted September 8, 2003. Fruity meets stylish earning three .
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Woop Woop 2002 Shiraz
is an example of how lower priced Australian wines don't have to be fruity and ... well just fruity....
This shiraz is juicy, dense, and interesting.
Ben Riggs does a fantastic job of bringing forward the subtle flavors of chocolate, mint, and spice
on the big jammy canvas.
The flavors are seamless and the finish is smacks of cocoa, black pepper, and a touch of vanilla from the use of
American Oak.
The tannin give a lush mouth-feel.
Retail price $12. Tasted May 12, 2003. We give this Aussie two  .
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Woop Woop 2003 Verdelho
is the floral, exoticly spiced counter part to Woop Woop Shiraz.
The Australians have really taken a liking to producing verdelho and those "in-the-know"
are drinking more and more of it.
This verdelho has pulmeria flowers and citrus zest on the nose.
The palate is like a salad made with fruit, flowers, and exotic spices.
The acidity is very appropriate for the level of flavors.
It does have a screw cap, but keep in mind, Stelvin Closures are more expensive than corks,
10 times more secure than corks, and 10 times easier to open!
Retail price $12. Tasted May 12, 2003.
We give this Aussie two .
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Wirra Wirra 2000 Church Block
is a McLaren Vale blend of cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and merlot.
The percentages vary from year to year.
In this particular vintage the syrah cuts through with a split second of
pomagranate and then the cabernet fills in the gaps
with wild cherry, coffee, a turn of black pepper, and eucalyptus.
The finish has texture and the tannins are chewy, but exit gracefully.
The eucalyptus lingers long like a pleasant echo of mint.
It's a big wine that has lots of interesting nuances.
Retail price $15. Tasted August 20, 2003.
Two dazzling to pass up .
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1999 Balgownie Estate, Bendigo, Cabernet Sauvignon is a powerhouse wine.
This wine has a beautiful color, licorice on the nose, and rich, juicy fruit on the palate
as more licorice/anise, mint, and clove dance across your tongue.
This is a great example of a powerfully fruity Australian wine having great structure. The tannins give it a great mouthfeel.
Rated August 1, 2003. We gave this wine two .
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