Australian tasting

An internal tasting at Wein&Co was hold quite recently to show some new wines to the staff. Winemaker Tom Barry from Jim Barry and Berthold Salomon attended the tasting and gave us some more insights about the wine country Australia.

1. Lehmann Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz 2006 - ok/good
ruby red, red berries, hints of cassis, some harsh tannins on mid palate, high alc. in combination with some RS, acquired taste ... quote "that'll keep your party going".

2. Barry Lodge Hill Riesling 2010 - vg
super typical Riesling nose, flinty, citrus and slate, shows very nice minerality, very good acid backbone, with more air some petrol detectable.
(special climate 300 - 500m above sea level, cool nights, 2 hours from Adelaide)

3. Salomon Bin4Ban Shiraz&Co 2010 - g/vg
ruby red hue, purple reflections, musty, cassis juicy, concentrated palate but a bit short, good new world wine, fruit forward and easy drinking but too high alc.
(made with own and purchased fruit, 2010 was a very good year)

4. Salomon Norwood Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - vg
12 mo used oak, very fruit forward, cassis and black berries, concentrated like juicy, typical Australian for me, mouthfilling.

5. Finniss River Shiraz 2008 - vg/del
fruit forward style, black olives, black berries, bit jam, super soft tannin structure, very powerful, bit alcoholic on the palate.

6. Finniss River Cabernet Sauvignon - vg
5% Merlot, 18 mo 40% to 50% new oak, 300 liters hogheads, super fruity, pure cassis, very good tannin structure, but soft round tannins, powerful on the palate, lingering,  hints of plums, just tiny hints of mintyness.

7. Finniss River Shiraz 1998 - still ok
middle red with orange/brown reflections, matured nose with beginning oxidation, orange marmalade, leather, with some more air Brett comes through, near dead.

8. Penfolds BIN 138 Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre 2007 - g
ruby red hue but not as dark as Finniss River wines, some hints of Brett but still overwhelming fruit on the nose, somewhat average, dry tannins on mid palate, spicy.

9. Penfolds Pinot Noir Cellar Reserve 2007 - del
middle red hue with some orange/yellow/brownish reflections, quite typical in color, Almdudler, herbs, soft tannin structure, shows an nice combination of tannins, acid structure and alcohol on the palate, pleasing, lingering.

10. Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz 2004 - vg/del
unfiltered, deep brooding black color, plums and black olives paste, very concentrated flavor profile, fruit forward and really full bodied on the palate, not a hint of maturation, lingering, single vineyard wine, 80% new oak for 18 month, made in 5 ton concrete fermenters.

11. Barry Hill Shiraz 2009 - g/vg
purple red hue, super fruit forward, plummy and ripe, sweet juicy tannins, bit unbalanced alcohol.

12. Barry McRae Wood Shiraz 2006 - del
black hue, upfront spicyness, black pepper, black olives, concentrated, good balance btw acid and tannin structure, very full bodied, nearly to much as I could drink a 1/16 !

13. Barry First XI Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 - del/ext
Coonnawarra fruit, 5hrs from Adelaide, hints of eucalytus and mint, still very young, cool flavors, very lingering and very stuctured, will need a decent amount of time!

14. Barry The Armagh Shiraz 2006 - ext
super dark red hue, black to the rim, whiskey touch (in Sauternes barrels) smokey, black pepper and super concentrated tannins structure, opens up with more air, juicy and extremely lingering, chocolate and caramel, multilayered, changing with every sip, still far to young, 100% new oak, 95% french, no filtration.

15. Salomon Alttus Magnum 2003 - g
unfiltered, evolved flavour profile on the nose, hints of fruits and spices, declining, soft tannins, middle length,