Climbing Shiraz

Most of my comments in this blog are positive because I tend to drink the wine I like, but you have to try new things from time to time.



So here are my thoughts on the 2006 Climbing Shiraz. This wine had good write-ups and is plastered with plenty of medals. Since it comes from Orange, I was expecting typical cool climate characteristics.



Now the key elements of Shiraz are its fruit, spice and tannins. This wine surprises in the fruit department. It tastes of plum, even fruitcake. I would have tipped McLaren, not a high altitude location, but this profile probably explains the show success. The fruit hits you immediately and covers the spice, which is not very pronounced. The tannins are substantial, but not overly well integrated.



Overall, the wine is somewhat broad and lacks distinctiveness and structure. Having said this, it is also not expensive and a reasonable quaffer.