From the master blender Peter Schell comes the 2006 Spinifex Indigene, a Shiraz/Mataro blend. In this year, the Shiraz component is high, at 69%. This is a full-bodied wine, yet it has retained some freshness. On the palate is an attractive mix of blueberry and blackberry fruit. Secondary flavours are mushroom, rather than oak. The wine is perfectly balanced between fruit, acidity and firm, but quite light tannins, before the wine moves to a lifted finish, as if it had a Viognier component. This is an excellent example of this blend from the Barossa.
The wine drinks well now, but has at least three to five years at this level ahead of itself.
Score: 94/++
The wine drinks well now, but has at least three to five years at this level ahead of itself.
Score: 94/++
2 comments:
Hello Thomas,
While not applicable to this wine I am searching for a little detail on the "tar" aspect that appears, in my experience in Barossa 100% Shiraz.
I am currently trying a Laughing Jack Shiraz Greenock Shiraz 2012. When I first tried a bottle of this last year it had all the hallmarks I would expect from a Shiraz and was most enjoyable.
In the last week I have tried another. It now presents with a distinctive "tar" aspect on the nose and palate. Should I interpret this development as an overripe character or something else?
Understanding you are something of a Barossa Shiraz expert I thought you may have an opinion?
I would appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks
Colin r
Hi Colin r,
Nice to hear from you again. Tar is not necessarily a bad flavour in a wine, as long as it is very minor. Barolo is usually associated with displaying such characteristics. I must say I have not noticed it often in Barossa Shiraz, but have on occasion. I believe it comes from inclusion of stems and hot fermentation, but this is speculation on my part. Therefore, I don't attribute it to overripe fruit, but rather a specific winemaking process. Having said this, there has been a practice of using overripe fruit in Barossa Shiraz, in particular in the first decade of this century. Some of the resulting flavours could be close to tar, but tasting experts would describe probably describe this differently, referring to dead fruit etc.
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