South Australian Trip Report Part Two

Prior to getting into my best buy wine finds and recommendations, I will briefly give you an update on recent vintage conditions in SA. As you know, 1998 in South Australia will go down in the annals as a “ripper” of a year. Weather conditions in 1999 were a lot more difficult. There are some good 1999 wines around, but there are also some shockers. Generally speaking the 99’s are a lot lighter in fruit weight than the previous vintage.  2000 was an absolute shocker.

2001 will be will be good but it’s still too early to tell exactly how good. A couple of wine makers privately admitted that 2001 is nowhere near as marvellous as reported. They feel it’s being “hyped up” after a very difficult 1999 and an almost impossible 2000.

My recommendation is to stock up big on the 98’s that are left, (if you can find any) and some of the good 99’s. With that in mind, here are this weeks picks from my trip and this time they are the top value 99 vintage Coonawarra reds. (Is there another colour worth talking about?)

Bowen Estate. This is a “rustic and basic” cellar door where they have nothing to prove and they let the wine speak for itself.

Bowen 1999 Shiraz - as usual, the wine shows pepper dark chocolate with a subtle mint note to finish. (I would be amazed if I ever tried a Bowen Shiraz that didn't have loads of pepper.) Tannins are fine grained, the fruit is a well balanced, persistent and pure.  There is ample body weight, the firm consistency, solid structure and the harmonious complexity leads to a long finish. All the more amazing when you consider this wine had been bottled four days previously. It should peak about 2005. Highly Recommended with **** for value. Needless to say, I purchased a six-pack.

Bowen 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon - the nose shows cedar, rich cassis, liquorice and some green tea.  Great use of oak, fine grain smooth tannins, the pure and distinct fruit produce a perfectly balanced wine with a palate of sweet cassis, a terrific complexity of other flavours and a long liquorice finish.  It has ample body, harmonious complexity and can best be described as very clean wine.  It should peak somewhere after 2006 and I rated it as Excellent with **** for value. I purchased a six-pack.

Zema Estate 1999 Shiraz this wine is closed and locked up tight.  The bouquet is liquorice, pepper and vanilla. It has very good oak and tannin treatment.  The wine has ample body weight, a velvety consistency, seamless structure, with liquorice and pepper on the palate.  Currently rated as Recommended, I am confident as this wine matures over the next five years it will be Highly Recommended with **** for value. (Bad move, I didn’t buy any?)

Penley Estate 1999 Phoenix Shiraz - typical Coonawarra nose of cassis, cedar, vanilla and eucalypt.  On the palate, the wine has good sweet blueberry fruit with lots of smooth tannins and obvious distinct fruit.  The body weight is ample, the consistency firm, the structure solid and a good level complexity for the price.  Recommended with **** for value the wine should peak about 2004+ and went it does, the rating will probably increased to Highly Recommended.  I purchased a six-pack.

More next week.

Cheers

Ric