Schulz 'Marcus' Old Shiraz

If you want to help the wine industry, help the growers. For those who enjoy drinking a big Barossa Shiraz, the 'Marcus' might be a great option. I drank the 2005 Schulz 'Marcus' Old Shiraz last night and was impressed. Like a number of other growers, Marcus Schulz has made the step to build his own brand, but is probably finding it quite tough.

The wine tastes of black plum. It shows some mocca and earthiness, too. The tannins are firm, but not bitter, and this balanced wine finishes with nice acidity. The wine is a bit heavy with 15.5% alcohol, but not hot.

The Schulz' old vine vineyard is near the legendary Penfold's Kalimna vineyard, and its fruit finds its way into Torbreck's RunRig and Factor. If you want a similar wine, maybe slightly less complex, for one quarter of the price, try the Schulz 'Marcus' (made by Torbreck).

Score: 95/+