Chapter Six McLaren Vale Tuesday

"TORB Terroir-ises SA" – (The 2004 South Australian Tour Diary)

Chapter Six – McLaren Vale – Tuesday Chapter Five can be found here

The Davis McLaren Vale Hilton …….

After a good nights’ sleep, the Davis clan is up early. John plays the devoted head of the house by making Sue a couple of mugs of tea and a cup of espresso for me. We have breakfast together and surprise, surprise, there is not a bacon and egg roll in sight or a carton of coffee flavoured moo juice. However John does have some wacky, herbal Indian concoction that has all the “destructions” in a foreign tongue so he has no idea what is in it. Sue insists that it is good for him so John dutifully drinks it. The word “vile” does not begin to describe the stench of this stuff, anything that smells that bad, that is consumed voluntarily must be better than Viagra.

McLaren Vale is an interesting wine area. They produce some very fine wines but do not seem to reach the cult status of the Barossa. In many ways that is a good thing. At the low to mid-cost end of the spectrum, there is a selection of excellent quality wines that represent good value; in some cases much better than the Barossa.

Sure there are some cult names, but nowhere near as many as in the Barossa. From a wine-lover’s perspective, that means less availability problems from your favourite wineries and that cannot be bad. So why is the McLaren Vale not as popular as the Barossa? Well, for a start, the Barossa is a much bigger area, has more wineries and more hectares under vines. The only major company to have its genesis in McLaren Vale is Hardy; whereas in the Barossa you have Penfolds, Orlando-Wyndham, Cellarmasters, Seppelt, Blass and Lehmann etc. I could be wrong, but I think a fair amount of grapes grown in McLaren Vale (as a percentage of production) are sold to the majors. McLaren Vale, as a region may not be as well marketed as the Barossa, especially overseas in the lucrative US market.

Two days of tasting have been lined up for McLaren Vale. Over the past few years, I have met with Paul Beard, who is a local agent for a number of well-known and not so well-known brands. We had agreed to meet at the usual spot, Koffee and Snaks, at 8.45. When Paul found out that John was not coming, he volunteered to pay. On the way, as I had not heard from Lynne since Friday, which is very unusual when I am away, I rang her to make sure she was alive. The news was not good, her back had gotten worse. Other members of the staff had to work her last two shifts as she had difficulty in moving and was in a lot of pain. I figured it could have been worse for two reasons. Firstly, if things were out of control in my business, the lunatics would be ringing the head of the asylum and I would have something to worry about. Secondly, although Lynne was sick, knowing her, she would still be on top of the paperwork. Ignorance is sometimes bliss, especially while it lasts, so when I met Paul I was not worried and looking forward to tasting some good wine.

Paul always has a smile on his face; he is the sort of person that is happy to see anyone, even me. After a quick coffee, it was 9.15 and I noticed I had yet to see a bacon and egg roll or coffee flavoured milk - no wonder I felt so good. We got the step-ladder out and climbed into Paul’s wife’s Toorak Tractor (aka SVU in the US) and headed off to our first port of call which was Cascabel. For those that do not know, this is one of those rare wineries where the owners do their own thing and defy normal convention. This winery is an eclectic fusion of Spanish and Australian wine, which is made by Duncan Ferguson and Susana Fernandez. The winery is set at the southern end of McLaren Vale where the climate is cooler and moderated by sea breezes. Therefore, the wines are not as big and in your face as many others from this region. I love what they do at this winery and it is a refreshing change.

Cascabel 2002 Grenache et al sells for $23 at CD. It is purple in colour with a light hue. Aromas of raspberry, smoky oak and milk chocolate are faithfully reproduced on the palate with a sweet uptake, savoury, smoky mid-palate and bitter chocolate that finishes dry. A more interesting wine than the flavour profile suggests, it is medium-weight, with a supple consistency, solid structure and harmonious complexity. Tannins are unobtrusive and the fruit distinct. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.

Cascabel 2002 Tempranillo Graciano sells for $38 at CD. A sophisticated wine with an interesting flavour profile; sweet and savoury layers of sweet fruit, spice and milk chocolate slowly creeps across the plate with and finishes with long, smooth, very fine, drying tannins. Fresh, crisp acid and pure fruit combine with the tannins to form an ample-weight, solid, firm structure that needs years to show its best. Come back in 2007+ for another look. Mouth feel is excellent and so is the construction. Rated as Highly Recommended with ** for value.

………Who is the good looking bird with the Galah?

…………………….Susana Fernandez

Cascabel 2002 Monastrell sells for $38 at CD. Violet in colour with a bright hue, this is a clean, classy wine with an excellent construction. The bouquet is ripe, shows sweet and savoury fruit with meaty undertones. Ultra-fine, abundant tannins, youthful, fresh acid and deep fruit produce a rock solid, firm, muscular-weight wine. Ripe fruit, chocolate, meaty flavours and white pepper fill the mouth and finish long. A wine of sophistication, it has a well developed complexity and is a “tricky number” that has been put together well. Rated as Highly Recommended with *** for value.

Cascabel 2002 Shiraz sells for $30 at CD. Dark purple with an impenetrable hue, the bouquet, whilst fruity, shows excellent complexity with added tar and spice. Pure, distinct fruit is in the drivers’ seat and it’s a clean as a car that’s just been though a Robo-wash and very smooth tannins make the surface as slick as the cars’ paint work after it is dry. Intense, blackberry, blackcurrant, tar, aniseed, meaty flavours and spice finish with excellent length. A classy, muscular-weight wine, there is nothing bombastic about this well-developed baby. Rated as Highly Recommended with **** for value.

After we had sampled these wines, it was on to the barrel samples to see how their wines are progressing. When comparing the 02 and 03 Shiraz, the wines are remarkably consistent, even the flavour profiles are similar; the only variant being the order the flavours are presented. The 04 was stylistically similar but showed overt chocolate but that could change with time.

From these tasting notes, readers who have looked at them carefully may have noticed a number of words that have been used consistently. All have excellent tannin management and the wines, without exception, are well constructed. Importantly, there is a consistency in each line and a consistent house style. No blockbusters here. There is an emphasis on quality with no comprises made to market forces. They do what they want to do and do it well. That deserves admiration.

It was back up to McLaren Vale for our next appointment, which was at Pirramimma. I have a liking for the gutsy, honest, McLaren Vale wines this winery produces and the value is always good too. In last years’ Tour Diary, I spoke about the family ownership and its history. This year, I met two other members of the family, Alex Johnson (partner) who is the patriarch and Annabel Johnson who is the GM – Sales and Finance. In many organisations, the sales and finance departments are mutually exclusive but as Annabel has a Bachelor of Economics and an MBA, as well as being actively involved in marketing, it makes sense. We were also joined by Simon Parker who is a winemaker. Once again, we were shanghaied (in the nicest way) when we walked in and saw the line up of bottles. When Paul made the appointment and worked out the timing, he never expected us to have to work our way through so many wines. But, as always, it was fun.

Alex is a very proper gentleman with a very dry sense of humour; Annabel is delightful and sharp as a tack. Simon is extremely enthusiastic and keen to help expand the winery and improve the product. Add to that, the solid financial backing and conservative approach and this winery should remain consistently good and get even better over time, something that all players seem openly committed to achieve.

Pirramimma 2000 Cabernet Merlot sells for $15 at CD. Violet in colour, the dusty notes on the nose do not impact on the fruit-driven, sweet, easy drinking wine that exhibits chocolate, red and blueberry fruit and a subtle leafy finish. A medium-weight, well made bistro wine with a soft consistency, and simple complexity. Rated as Agreeable with *** for value.

Pirramimma Stocks Hill 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon sells for $15-$16. Purple in colour, the wine has a typical varietal cabernet nose. The fruit is good, but this wine is a little lean in weight; it shows good varietal definition on the palate with added milk chocolate. It is also ripe and rich, but not over the top. Consistency is supple and the complexity agreeable. It is drinking well now and rated as Agreeable with *** for value.

Pirramimma Stocks Hill 2001 Shiraz sells for $15-$16. A pleasant, very drinkable wine with pure, ripe blackcurrant and light blackberry fruit, chocolate and coffee flavours that finishes with persistence. Medium in weight, the consistency is supple and the agreeable complexity makes this a perfect bistro or BBQ wine. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.

Pirramimma 2002 Grenache sells for $18 at CD and is sealed with a ROTE. The first straight Grenache from this winery, it showed perfumed, dusty leafy notes and milk chocolate. Loads of almost powdery, drying tannins combine with obvious fruit to form a muscular, firm, solid wine. The sweet uptake of raspberry flows through to a mid-palate with leafy green tomato flavours. It finishes to milk chocolate and raspberry with mouth numbing, drying tannins. After a taste of this, a razor was needed to shave the tongue but if the tannins eventually tame down, it should be pretty good. Rated as Recommended with **** for value, bury it in the cellar for a few years.

Pirramimma 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon sells for $26.50 at CD. Impenetrable dark purple with a very attractive varietal bouquet that is also very ripe. This could not be described as a “great wine” but it is a great tasting wine that has been well constructed and balanced. The pleasant mouth feel is achieved by silky, very fine, dusty tannins and obvious fruit. On the palate the juicy fruit is beautifully offset by the tannins and balanced acid. Muscular-weight, with a firm consistency and solid structure, the complexity is well developed and this wine is worth buying. Rated as Highly Recommended with **** for value.

Pirramimma 2001 Petite Verdot sells for $26.50 at CD. Something a bit different that is normally very interesting, this vintage was no exception. VA, perfumed rose petals and dark fruit scents combine into a very attractive package. A full-bodied wine with pure, deep, strong fruit flavours including blackberry, aniseed and chocolate, which crawls across the palate as the tannins build and build, with great length, and finish with excellent, drying, persistence. Complexity is well developed, in short, this is a gorgeous wine that should hit its peak in 2008+ and is rated as Highly Recommended with **** for value.

………… Annabel Johnson and Alex Johnson

Pirramimma 2001 Shiraz sells for $26.50 at CD. There is nothing subtle about the deep, strong, obvious fruit in this drop; it is ultra ripe but not dead. Ripe blackberry, prune, chocolate savoury smoke, eucalyptus and mint flavours finish with good persistence. A big, full-bodied wine, it is well balanced with loads of fine, drying, dusty tannins (slightly short on the back palate,) with a solid construction and well developed complexity. Rated as Highly Recommended with **** for value, it should peak about 2006.

Pirramimma 2001 Merlot sells for $26.50 at CD. (We had to open a few to find one that was not corked. The law of averages always catches up somewhere.) Perfumed fruit, smoke and obvious oak are the first indicators that this is not your typical fruit-driven, easy-drinking Merlot that has been designed for those who can not pronounce Cabernet Sauvignon. A considerable wack of tannins slams the tongue but the pure, very sweet, ripe, red berry and mint fruit flavours eventually emerges and finishes with good persistence. Ample-weight, the complexity is intricate but many typical Merlot drinkers will get a shock when their tongue is pummelled by tannins and not lolly water. Rated as Recommended with ** for value.

Pirramimma continues to make good honest wines at reasonable prices and whilst in the past, they have been happy to “stick to their knitting” I have a feeling things are about to change. There is a definite air of experimentation and attitude that they should be “looking for the next wave.” This is a subject, which in general, I intend to cover at length at a later date when this Tour Diary is complete.

We discussed the last few vintages. The consensus for this winery was that 02 was stunning. 03, as expected, was not as good. In 2004, the crops were up on 03 but the Cabernet was a big improvement in terms of quality. This comment about 2004 Cabernet was one I was to hear time and again in McLaren Vale and Clare.

David’s machinery hard at work

From Pirramimma it was a relatively short drive to Blewitt Springs to our next port of call, Sylvan Springs. I first visited this winery a number of years ago and was impressed with what they are doing. Their 99’s were terrific, the 2000’s were a product of a difficult vintage, 2001 whilst credible wines, were not as good as I had hoped. I was looking forward to seeing what they had been able to come up with in 2002. As well as owning tracts of vineyard land, David Pridmore is the largest machinery contractor in McLaren Vale and amongst other things does the mechanical picking for a huge number of growers. Normally, when I see him at this time of the year he is quite relaxed but on this day he just about had enough time to shake my hand and say hi as he whizzed past. Harvest was still going strong and David was busier than a trauma surgeon in an ER. It was not that he was not interested in his wines, it was just he had things that had to be completed there and then. The machinery business is financing the wine-making operation so it was understandable that it comes first.

The winery is located in a demountable shed overlooking the Vales and has a unique attribute. The “dunny” could make the classic Australian best selling book, “Dinkum Dunnies.” Nothing “crappy” about the wine made here, although they do have potential to do better considering the vineyards they own.

Paul Beard showcasing the “Sylvan Dunny” ……..

Sylvan Springs 2002 Shiraz sells for $19.90 direct from CD. Whenever I smell a wine and it reeks of charry oak, I wonder why the winemaker has destroyed the good fruit so I was not impressed with the bouquet. Luckily, many consumers don’t mind the charry oak and there are some expensive wines that are loaded with it that sell very quickly. On the palate, the deep, distinct, fruit delivers savoury blackberry, liquorice and mint. Whilst there is intense charry flavour at the start of the mid palate, there is enough fruit flavour to manage it. The wine is ample-weight and well supported by tight, smooth, fine-grained dusty tannins and there is a fair amount of oak tannin too. It is a good wine, better then the 01 and I almost like it despite the char. Rated as Recommended with **** for value, the rating may improve as the wine matures around 2007. Don’t let my prejudice against char turn you off this wine.

Sylvan Springs 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon sells for $19.90 direct from CD. One sniff of this and for some reason I was reminded of the 2002 Wynns Black label. The bouquet is dusty, leafy, and varietally correct and very much like a Coonawarra Cabernet. The tannins, which are very fine-grained, almost flat in structure (in a positive way) provide a good mouth feel. Piquant acid and distinct fruit complete the balance for this ample-weight wine. Initially the flavour is a “green hit” with capsicum flavour but there is some sweetness as well as an underlying savoury character with minty notes that finish dry. It is a solid, firm wine that should peak about 2005 and is rated as Recommended with **** for value.

………… The Sylvan Springs Mascot or

a likeness of John Davis after a hard night

I do not know what’s going on with the winery. The 1999 are still the best they have produced and I would have thought that as time went on, the wines should have been getting better and better. There is a solid commitment by David to make it work and he is not taking financial shortcuts. The consistency is not there and I do not know if fruit selection is the problem or if it is a winemaking problem but they need to improve things soon or it will just be another label that has come and gone.

It was back into town for a quick lunch with Paul, and there was no mention of meat pies and coffee milk - what a relief to have escaped the Pie Kings clutches. We went to a little deli that made great sandwiches, baguettes and focaccia. It is always good to catch up with Paul; he is wired into the local scene, knows what is going on and has all the latest goss. One new snippet of information, which will be worth tracking down next time, is a new facility where a number of winemakers are getting together to produce boutique brands. The wines are mainly small batches and the facility is used by a number of the well-known local winemakers who want to do their own thing outside of their full time employment. There are also a number of unknown winemakers who hope to become well known who are using this facility. It is located on the corner of Foggo Road and Kangarilla Road. I am not sure about access for the general public but it may be worth investigating if you are driving past and have time.

My next appointment was at Penny Hill. I first visited this winery a few years ago; in fact it was prior to the opening of the new cellar door facility. That first visit was a most memorable one and a highlight of that trip. The wines were very good and the hospitality top rate. Two years ago I went back and was not particularly impressed with the wines but figured that could be a “vintage thing” as most of the wines available at that time were from the 2000 vintage. John had decided to join me on this visit as he had not tried their wines for a while.

We walked into cellar door and I introduced myself and explained that I had made an appointment to taste the wines. The lady behind the counter said, “I will be looking after you” but did not bother to introduce herself. From my perspective, the reception and subsequent service was very cold and uninviting. The pours were also minute. When you feel uncomfortable tasting wine, it is hard to be objective but I remained friendly and did my best to be fair to the wines I was trying.

Penny’s Hill 2003 Red Dot Shiraz retails for $18 at CD and has one of the new Zork closures. The Zork is an Australian invention; it is taint proof, seals like a screw cap but pops like a cork. Intensely savoury, spicy, plummy fruit combine with unobtrusive tannins and a soft consistency to form easy drinking, medium-weight red. The only minor negative is the tannins are slightly bitter. Rated as Agreeable with *** for value.

John had to leave to look after his roses …….

Penny’s Hill 2002 Specialized retails for $24 at CD and is a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. When I sniffed the wine, I thought it may have been mildly corked and politely asked for the wine to be checked to see if it was OK. After sniffing the wine, the lady who was looking after us informed me in no uncertain terms the wine was fine. (In most other cases when this happens, another bottle is opened.) The bouquet was a little muted. Tannins are well controlled, the acid very lively, and the obvious fruit, almost juicy in a lighter style. Blackberry fruit, spice and cloves finish with acceptable persistence. Medium-weight, the wine has a supple complexity, solid structure and should peak in a couple of years. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.

Whilst we were tasting the wines, we were “shown” a bottle of the new Footprint Shiraz and told that it was for sale at $39 a bottle but not available for tasting.

Penny Hill 2002 Shiraz retails for $27 at CD. The bouquet is inviting, lifted and exhibits subtle perfume, liquorice and shows good complexity. Creamy, dusty, drying tannins provide a good mouth feel. Obvious, distinct fruit produces very dark chocolate, spice, blackberry, plum and liquorice flavours that finish with fantastic persistence; in fact about as much persistence as my dog with a bone, he does not let go or give up. Rated as Highly Recommended (just made it) with **** for value, the wine should peak about 2007.

Clearly, I was not welcome here and will not be returning.

Next stop was around the corner at Fox Creek. I had made an appointment for the previous Thursday but had to postpone it as I was waylaid by another winery. John decided to briefly join me and try a couple of the wines and then had to shoot off to do some chores. Sue was not going to let him get any more rest on his days off; she had big plans for him.

Fox Creek came to prominence when Sparky Marquis was their winemaker in the mid to late 90’s. This winery became renowned for its monolithic reds of heroic proportions. Those days have past and whilst some of the reds are pretty big, over time the structure has improved, the size has reduced and the wines are all the better for the changes. Not all that long ago, Dan Hills, the winemaker left. I did not know, and most people may not have known that Fox Creek were employing two winemakers. Dan was the front of house guy, but there was a very quietly spoken, almost shy person with loads of winemaking talent backing him up, out the back in the winery. That guys’ name is Tony Walker and he now works with Chris Dix, so there is winemaking continuity.

The more I try these wines, the more I like them and they seem to be getting better and better with every visit. They may not have the “flash value” that Sparky provided, but they certainly are gaining some depth and deeply seated strength and that is far better than a flash in the pan and a couple of high scores.

Because I did not know exactly when I would be able to make it, I did not make another appointment but when I dropped in, they were more than hospitable and were able to grab Tony Walker away from the winery to talk to me. Very impressive hospitality and service.

Wines are discounted for wine club members but the RRP has been used for the value ratings.

Fox Creek Vixen sells for $22 at CD. There is not a lot of sparkling red that I find enjoyable in this price bracket as most are overly sweet and confected but possibly I like this, as it is the same blend as the JSM. On the palate the wine shows sweet fruit on the uptake, offset with a very savoury under layer that finishes with slightly drying tannins. Best of all, the residual sweetness is under control and the wine has been well judged. Well and truly worth buying, it is rated as Recommended with **** for value.

…………… Shadow – the Fox Creek Mascot

Fox Creek 2002 JSM sells for $22 at CD and is a Shiraz Cabernet Franc blend. Purple in colour, the nose shows very attractive floral fruit. Sex in a bottle and a fantastic wine for the price. Silky tannins provide a sexy mouth feel and the pure, distinct fruit delivers intensely savoury flavours with offsetting underlying sweetness. Intricate, harmonious complexity, the seamless, solid structure, ample-weight and soft consistency gives this wine phenomenal mass-market appeal. Rated as Highly Recommended with **** for value. You are crazy if you pass this one up, it is as gluggable as they come.

Fox Creek 2002 Fox and Hounds sells for $25 and is only available at CD. An easy drinking, clean wine, with a black nose and black spectrum fruit on the palate; liquorice, blackberry etc. Ample-weight, the structure is almost seamless and the consistency supple. Rated as Recommended with *** for value, it did not do a thing for me.

Fox Creek 2001 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon sells for $36 at CD. I first tried this last year as a pre release look at the wine and was very impressed with it at that time. The only thing that has happened in the last twelve months is that the wine has got better. It is a seriously underrated wine and if it had a Coonawarra designation on the label, it would be unobtainable. The bouquet is rich and seductive. The wine finished ferment in new French barrels, which explains the creamy mouth feel. Tannins are ultra-fine smooth and dusty. The fruit matches the quality of the oak; the wine has excellent structure and finishes long and dry. It is full-bodied, has a rock solid structure, and well-developed complexity. Rated as Excellent now with room for improvement as the wine matures, it has to get ***** for value for wine club members.

Fox Creek 2002 Reserve Shiraz sells for $70 at CD and I was anxious to try it as I had already picked up a six-pack on special. The wine has been matured in 30% New French oak, which is a departure from the 100% American oak used in the past. Dark purple in colour, the wine has a very complex bouquet and is the sort of wine that is a joy to sniff. A three-punch wine, a left hook with good mouth feel which is followed by a right cross that is backed by great fruit and an uppercut with perfect construction; a knock-out wine! Rich, ripe fruit of spice, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, blackberry, mint and coffee are able supported by “tree climbing” tannins that builds to a strong mid palate and very long finish. Muscular in weight, the wine has a rock of Gibraltar construction that is still tight; the complexity is sophisticated and there was no visible heat despite its 15% alcohol. Some real class and refinement at work here and the wine should be long lived. Rated as Excellent with **** for value (based on the street price), the rating should improve as the wine matures around 2011+.

Tony thinks that 02 is a blinder of a vintage. He feels that 04 is a “fuller” year than 03 and on par with 02. He feels 04 has riper fruit than 02 but the tannin structure from 02 is better. Volume in 04 is up 300 tonnes and all the barrels and tanks are full; a common story in much of SA.

This winery is quietly improving over the years and from top to bottom, the majority of the wines are good, well made and enjoyable. It is becoming one of those wineries when you can buy on “trust” and the chances are you will not be disappointed.

John had deserted me at Fox Creek after briefly tasting a few wines, so knowing how much he loves Kay’s and would hate to miss it, I headed there next.

In its own quiet way, Kay’s is becoming a McLaren Vale icon in much the same way as some of the boutique Barossa wineries. The difference is, Kay’s has been going for about 110 years and is still under control of the same family. In fact, Colin Kay is only the third generation winemaker. There is nothing wimpy about the wines produced by Kay’s, they are big, full-bodied wines loaded with rich, ripe fruit. From visit to visit, nothing much changes at this winery, same faces, same buildings, same professionalism and attention to detail. However, although things look like they may not be changing, in the winemaking area, Colin is never satisfied with resting on his laurels and is continually looking at ways to make better wine. That attention to fine detail and quest for improvement starts in the vineyard and goes all the way through to the packaging.

…………. It’s a dogs’ life and this one loves balls

….. And this has the customers well trained to throw them

Two major changes to the winemaking process are in play here. The first is that from this year, all the new releases, including the Block 6 will be under ROTE. Colin is convinced that ROTE is the way to go and is fed up with having a percentage of his wine ruined by tree bark plugs and the ensuing damage that they cause.

The second major change is to the oak used in the Block 6 and Hillside Shiraz. The days of 100% American oak for these wines are at an end. In 2002, the Block 6 will contain 25% new Balkan oak (French – according to Colin, originally the oak we know as “French” came from the Balkans.) By 2004, it will be 50-50%. As the Hillside gets the second use of the Block 6 barrels, that wine will not be far behind in its conversion to mixed oak.

We spoke at length about a number of subjects, including Colin’s assessment of the last few vintages. Colin rates 2002 as 9.8 out of 10, 2003 as 8 out of 10 and 2004 as between 8.5 and 9 out of 10. He went onto say “we are excited about the 02’s” and Colin is the sort of man who doesn’t seem to get excited easily, so these wines should be bloody impressive. And I was looking forward to trying them. After tasting through a number of the finished, bottled wines, (notes a bit later in this section) we went into the barrel room to try some samples.

We tried a sample of the 02 Block 6 from the American oak and then one from a French oak barrel. The difference was marked. Colin then blended a small sample in the approximate proportion that is planned for the finished wine for me to try. Truly a case of the sum being better than the individual parts and the only difference was the balance of oak. The wine shows intense coffee and is very tight.

The sample of 02 Hillside was sensational and showed amazing complexity. Vibrancy personified!

After trying the 02 Block 6 and much discussion on the impact of flavour caused by the oak, Colin let me taste a sample of the 03 Merlot. This wine was unbelievable, coffee flavours through and through. The reason I said “unbelievable” was because the wine is in old oak and the coffee flavour is not caused by the oak. Colin showed me this to point out that that the coffee flavour does not have to be oak derived and can come from the fruit, and that is where it comes from in the Block 6!

The one on the left may chase balls but ………….

the one on the right has a “chock fetish” which causes …….

Colin to chase barrels ……………………

Not being a straight Merlot fan, Colin insisted that I try the Kay Bros 2002 Merlot, which sells for $22 at CD. An unusual bouquet with very fresh fruit and attractive spice and the “unusual” aspects do not end there. The palate is amazingly confusing for a Merlot and shows pepper, spice, plums and liquorice – very Shiraz-like in flavour profile and structure but the fruit is ripe, juicy and mouth feel is like a silky Merlot that finishes with grippy, fine tannins. Summing it up, it’s a damn nice, big, rich red but how do I rate it as a Merlot? Don’t know, but it is a good wine that should hits its peak about 2008+, **** for value.

Kay Bros 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon sells for $27 at CD. I really liked this wine and it is more refined than previous vintages. It has a deceptively good structure with excellent depth of dusty, almost powdery, fruit tannins; only 15% new oak has been used. Savoury, peppery fruit with blackberry, mint and chocolate are pleasantly offset with a sweet under layer. Ample in weight, the wine has a solid but tight structure and well-developed consistency. Rated as Recommended with **** for value, the rating should improve as the wine matures. The structure of this wine is the best under this label since 1996. 14% alcohol.

Kay Bros 2002 Shiraz sells for $27 at CD. Dark purple in colour, the hue is equally dark and the bouquet produces very fresh, vibrant fruit with some serious plums in play; is this a grape or plum based wine? One sip and its easy to sum up, a belter of a wine. Smooth tannins produce a good mouth feel and the pure, strong, concentrated fruit has great depth of flavour. Despite that depth of flavour and muscular-weight, it is not excessively heavy by any stretch and the 15.5% alcohol produces no excess heat. For its size and weight, it does show some refinement. A very smart wine and sensational for the price. Rated as Highly Recommended with **** for value and the rating should improve as the wine matures after 2008.

I think by now the Block 6, which is mainly sold to mailing list customers, will be sold out but the balance of the line up is a fine consolation prize and I would be happy to have any of them in the cellar (and plan to have just about all of them there.)

….. ..….. Not everyone in McLaren Vale has

……. Cattle Dogs, Kelpie and Border Collies

That was the end of the days’ formal tasting and it was time to return to the McLaren Vale Davis Hilton. I received an enthusiastic greeting by one of the three Chihuahuas and one that was almost as enthusiastic from John; that was until he found I went to Kay’s without him.

Sue arrived home and we headed off to the Victory Hotel for another dinner - this time a quiet one with just the four of us. For a starter, I had Oysters Kilpatrick, which I must admit was disappointing. The oysters were fresh, but the sauce tasted more like BBQ than the real McCoy. The main, once again, was very well done but unfortunately I did not record many details as I just wanted a relaxing night.

We had taken our own wine, brief impressions in a moment. John was up to his usual tricks and wanted to send the water back because he thought it was corked. It took a threat of grievous bodily harm by Sue to dissuade him from having an argument with the waitress about it. I really do worry about the effect of all those meat pies, I something think John is suffering from Mad Pie Disease. John informs me that he is indeed suffering, no meat pies or moo juice for over 31 hours, but who is counting.

John brought along a Greenock Creek 1996 Creek Block Shiraz. It has a great mouth-feel with silky tannins that are as smooth as a new-born baby’s bum. Absolutely seamless, but there is a good backbone holding it together. Blackberry and liquorice flavours are most enjoyable but the wine has 5/8^th of SFA complexity. Rated as Highly Recommended, the wine is at its peak.

I took a bottle of Hardys 1996 Eileen Hardy Shiraz. This one had a weird bouquet with coffee and burnt oak aromas. The drying tannins and youthful fruit mandate a big steak. John said “a pup; a wonderful wine with tannins that suck your tonsils out.” As it opened up, it got better with plums and an assortment of flavours making an appearance. Rated as Excellent.

We then piled back into the Council Owned Limo and with Sue at the wheel, drove home. This time, there was no singing but we were all in good spirits and John had forgiven me for not taking him to Kay’s but I had to pay for dinner to earn that forgiveness.

And then it was time for an early night as tomorrow was another big day that was chock full of appointments. It’s a rough life but someone has to do it.

This chapter has been and will probably be the shortest in the tour diary but still, there were some excellent wines tasted during the day and it proved that McLaren Vale has a lot to offer in its own right. There are still lots of secrets to be revealed and surprises in store, not to mention a few good wines reviewed, so stay tuned for Chapter Seven.

Chapter Seven can be found here

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