Big red 2008: Shiraz

 

Share

Tweet

Shiraz the workhorse has become the show pony. If any grape variety has imprinted itself on the world’s vinous consciousness as quintessentially Australian, it is undoubtedly shiraz. This grape has dominated the wine industry in this country like no other, although it has not always occupied the position of eminence afforded it today. For many years, more shiraz found its way into fortifieds than table wines and vast quantities filled endless casks, satisfying the demands of drinkers whose only real consideration was price. Sadly, the tales of shiraz muffins are burned into the minds of those who experienced this humiliation – just ask some of the long-term growers in the Barossa. Australian shiraz didn’t always have American trophy hunters falling over themselves.

There were flashes of early glory. The reputation of Coonawarra was earned not with the grape synonymous with that district today, cabernet sauvignon, but with shiraz. The legendary Woodley’s Treasure Chest series was made from shiraz, and when Max Schubert decided to make the great Australian red, he chose shiraz not cabernet sauvignon (admittedly because he could not access sufficient quantities of cabernet, but shiraz will take what it can get), hence today we have Penfolds famous Grange Hermitage (as it was until 1990, before the Hermitage was dropped). In addition, there were wines such as Wynns Michael from 1955, the wonderful Lindemans Hunter River Burgundies from 1959 and 1965, and the early (not to mention recent) Henschke Hill of Grace.

We were not the only ones to undervalue this grape. Shiraz, or syrah as the rest of the world knew it, fared little better elsewhere. Len Evans, in his 1973 The Complete Book of Australian Wine, notes its use for both fortified and non-fortified (it was only about this time that we started to produce more table wine than fortified) before declaring that in other wine-producing countries, including France, “it is comparatively unimportant”. Hard to imagine.

Today, of course, Australian shiraz has taken the world by storm and seared itself in the minds of all wine lovers in a way that not even Kiwi sav blanc has managed. Aussie shiraz is one of the world’s great wines. The only others we make that can match its lofty status are the wonderful muscats and tokays from Rutherglen, but those wines are considered little more than curiosities.

There’s hardly a serious wine region in the country in which shiraz is not represented, except perhaps the very coldest. And global warming is set to fix that.

REGIONS
Examining how shiraz performs in the wine regions of Australia and discussing all the districts where it is successful virtually encompasses every grape-growing area in the country. The many facets of shiraz are what makes it such an interesting grape variety. Here, then, is an all-too-brief look at shiraz in some of its more famous local regions, plus a few rising stars.

Barossa Valley
When the world thinks Australian shiraz, it thinks Barossa. Barossa shiraz can be a little over the top for some, the argument running that it is not as enticing as other wines, but like or loathe these flavour bombs, they’re wildly popular. Expect dark fruit and opulent wines. The texture can be entrancing and good ones will have great length and tumbling, soft tannins. The style is undoubtedly evolving, with experiments such as the inclusion of viognier (sometimes a little too exuberantly) and with many producers moving, at least in part, from American to French oak. There is also great interest in evaluating the subregions. Choosing a single wine as a regional icon is difficult, but this wine epitomises all that fans of the style love about the region.
Icon wines 2002 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz, A$100; 2004 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz, A$46
Emerging star 2004 Teusner Albert Shiraz, A$50/NZ$60

Eden Valley
There’s an almost Upstairs Downstairs relationship between the Barossa and its neighbour, with shiraz from the Eden tending to be more elegant, with licorice, aniseed, dark berries, cherry and briary notes, occasionally with a little spice for good measure.
Icon wine 2004 Henschke Hill of Grace, A$484/NZ$568
Emerging star 2004 Torzi Matthews Frost Dodger Shiraz, A$30

McLaren Vale
The closest challenger that the Barossa Valley has is McLaren Vale. Shiraz from this South Australian region has contributed more to the local wine industry than we’ll probably ever know, and continues to do so today. Texture and masses of flavour, especially rich chocolate and blackberry notes, are the hallmarks of these wines, which are not ones for the faint-hearted, especially if excessive levels of extract and alcohol do not appeal. That, of course, does not apply to all shiraz from the region.
Icon wine 2004 d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz, A$65/NZ$69.50
Emerging star 2004 Gemtree Obsidian Shiraz, A$41

Clare Valley
Far too often, we forget that the Clare Valley is not a one-trick pony. Riesling may be the grape on everyone’s lips as soon as the Clare is mentioned, but there are also some excellent reds, none more so than shiraz. It comes as a surprise to many to learn that plantings of shiraz exceed those of riesling. Clare Valley shiraz can get a slightly truffle-like, wild and exotic note, with leather, animal hide, dark berry and more. Good ones are always well structured.
Icon wine 2004 Tim Adams The Aberfeldy, A$55
Emerging star 2004 Taylors Jaraman Shiraz, A$30

Langhorne Creek
Langhorne Creek is the unsung hero of the Australian wine industry, and its growers have often been treated rather shabbily by some of the large producers, who happily plunder the region’s first-class grapes without providing due acknowledgment. The region generally produces gentle, rather soft wines with oodles of flavour. Dominant flavours include chocolate, a mix of red and dark berries, and occasionally some pleasant plum notes.
Icon wine 2002 Metala Black Label Shiraz, A$48
Emerging star 2004 Bremerton Old Adam Shiraz, A$40/NZ$50

Coonawarra
Shiraz may have attracted early fame to Coonawarra, but cabernet sauvignon has long since passed it in every way. That said, there are still some attractive examples to be found, usually offering good value. They tend to be mid-weight and moderately intense, with slightly more red berry and spice notes than cabernet. Certain producers have been guilty of embalming their wines in oak, but fortunately they have taken their foot off the throttle.
Icon wine 2003 Katnook Estate Prodigy Shiraz, A$100
Emerging star 2004 Zema Estate Family Selection Shiraz, A$40/NZ$58

Hunter Valley
If ever an area has seen its halo slip, it must surely be the Hunter Valley. Few regions are steeped in as much history as this picturesque, though sometimes overlooked, district. Semillon, its key white, is often misunderstood and underappreciated, while the dominant red, shiraz, can be so different from the Barossa blockbusters that it is also passed over. The shiraz has lost much of the barnyard character that bedevilled it for so long and can offer soft, red-berried fruit in its youth before developing into some of this country’s finest mature reds – gentle, almost ethereal, with a velvety palate and satiny tannins.
Icon wine 2005 Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz, A$100
Emerging star 2005 Thomas Wines Kiss Shiraz, A$45

Central Ranges
The Central Ranges is made up of the emerging district of Orange and the venerable region of Mudgee, with Cowra and its surrounding vineyards tossed in for good measure. It means there is no typical style of shiraz, but rather individual characteristics: black fruit and sometimes earthiness from Mudgee, elegance and spice from Orange and what might be described as less-exciting wines from Cowra.
Icon wine 2003 Huntington Shiraz, A$21
Emerging star 2005 Philip Shaw No 89 Shiraz, A$50

Yarra Valley
A well-known and often controversial winemaker from the Yarra Valley once told me that, planted in the right places, the region’s best variety was shiraz. This, of course, flies in the face of conventional wisdom, but there is a surprising amount of evidence to support the assertion when one looks around. For those lucky enough to have suitable sites, wines not dissimilar to the best of the Rhône, much more elegant than the usual Aussie in-your-face shiraz, can result. Flavours include earth, blackberry, leather and spice, with attractive texture, good length and intensity of flavour the key to the best. Viognier is finding its way into these wines more often.
Icon wines 2005 Yering Station Reserve Shiraz Viognier, A$65/NZ$74.50; 2005 De Bortoli Yarra Valley Shiraz, A$30
Emerging star 2005 Toolangi Shiraz, A$25

Geelong
The 2001 Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year, Gary Farr, formerly of Bannockburn, put Geelong on the map in even quicker time than it took the football team to win a premiership. Although most would think of his wonderful pinot noirs and chardonnays, he also did much to establish a style of shiraz for the region. The wines have power and complexity and more structure than many districts are able to offer. Expect longevity. Just like their footy team, now that Geelong shiraz has arrived, expect it to be kicking goals for quite a while.
Icon wine 2004 Bannockburn Vineyards, A$50
Emerging star 2005 By Farr Shiraz, A$55

Macedon Ranges
No doubt the geographical indications police would have something to say, but we are taking a broad brush with the Macedon Ranges to ensure that the wonderful shiraz of Pat Carmody at nearby Craiglee does not slip though the cracks. We are firmly in the cool-climate camp here, though the final wines are determined by vintage conditions. Spicy, peppery, lean and leathery, these wines are a million miles from the blockbusters with never-ending opulent fruit, but they are none the worse for that.
Icon wine 2004 Craiglee Shiraz, A$40
Emerging star 2005 Cobaw Ridge Shiraz Viognier, A$42

Heathcote
Flagship of the emerging regions in recent years has been Heathcote, with shiraz the variety leading the way. These are wonderful wines with dense, ripe, dark berry flavours, mouth-coating yet often deceptively soft tannins, and the better wines intense on a long finish with intriguing complexity, which often develops reasonably early. Alcohol levels in some wines exceed what one may wish, but they are proving popular.
Icon wine 2005 Jasper Hill Georgia’s Paddock Shiraz, A$72/NZ$83
Emerging star 2004 Shadowfax One Eye Shiraz, A$65

Beechworth
Sometimes life is just not fair. Beechworth’s fantastic chardonnay and entrancing pinot have been absolute standouts, so what right does it have to jump in now with such spectacular shiraz? It almost seems to have been planted as an afterthought by some growers, but it offers complexity and elegance, with intense flavours. Beechworth has the potential to become one of the premium Aussie shiraz regions, and is well on its way to doing so.
Icon wine 2005 Castagna Genesis Syrah, A$75
Emerging star 2006 Giaconda Shiraz, A$80/NZ$100

Margaret River
Although it plays second fiddle to cabernet, in Margaret River shiraz produces its share of exciting wines. They tend to the spicy, with a mix of red and dark berry flavours, and are never likely to dethrone cabernet but should not be dismissed.
Icon wine 2005 Cape Mentelle Shiraz, A$38
Emerging star 2005 Vasse Felix, A$35/NZ$40

Great Southern
The Great Southern region has thrown up more than enough excellent shiraz to establish its credentials as one of our best and most promising regions. Flavours vary throughout, but these are far from the massive, plush wines found in other regions. Briary notes, plum, dark berries and spice are all nicely wound into a complex and persistent package. They are not lacking in structure.
Icon wine 2004 Plantagenet Shiraz, A$40
Emerging star 2004 Castle Rock Estate Shiraz, A$19

Canberra District
One wine alone makes it essential to include this New South Wales region: 2006 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier, A$70. It shows spice, aniseed, dark berries, hints of leather and so much more, with length and complexity ever building. In coming years, one would hope to see others emulating Clonakilla’s success.

TEXT KEN GARGETT PHOTOGRAPHY WILL HORNER

This article appeared in the June/July 2008 issue of Gourmet Traveller WINE.