Monday, December 29, 2008

Torbreck 'Les Amis' Grenache

This must be one of Australia's best wines! Yesterday I opened a bottle of the 2001 Torbreck Les Amis. I have been collecting this wine from the beginning. The 2001 was actually not officially available in Australia, but made for a restaurant in Singapore, however, I managed to pursuade David Powell to sell me a few bottles at a Torbreck dinner.

The wine has a beautiful strawberry and cherry nose which continues to the palate. The wine is 100% Grenache and shows its typical sweetness, but the wine has excellent structure and length as well. The fruit is very concentrated and carries the high alcohol (15%) well. The wine is very smooth and has soft silky tannins which go on and on. A powerful wine in a velvet glove. Surely, if the other vintages are as good, this is Australia's best Grenache and better than any Chateuneuf I have ever had - a big statement, but this wine is sensational.

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