Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Two Hands 'Zippy's Block' Shiraz

I have been looking forward to taste the 2007 Two Hands 'Zippy's Block' Shiraz. Two Hands is mainly known for its Garden series, a range of Shirazes from different regions of Australia. This is the first time it made a single vineyard wine, to my knowledge. I thought this is a major challenge for three reasons
- Two Hands likes to make ripe wines, focussed on the US market
- 2007 was a hot, drought vintage
- Zippy's vineyard is on Roennfeldt Rd, Marananga, the golden mile of super charged Australian Shiraz

Will this wine be overripe and dead after eight years?

What a surprise I got! The bottle is very dark, so you cannot see any colour of the wine. And after opening, it is the bouquet which hits you first. Strong aromas of blackberry and plum, as well as oak flavours dominate. On the palate, this is of course a full-bodied wine, but it is balanced, with some charme. This wine is a perfect example of the 'Big Barossa', a wine style quite unique in the world. This Shiraz fires on all cylinders, it may be too much for someone used to a four cylinder car, but everything seems to be in proportion. The 14.7% alcohol is taken well by the fruit, as is the oak. The intensity and depth of the fruit is exceptional, a bit like a first class jam. Drinking a second glass could be a challenge, but I could not resist this exciting package. This wine will go well for another 7-10 years easily.

Score: 97/++

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