10 GREAT COOLER-CLIMATE SHIRAZ
When it comes to the popularity stakes, there’s no denying it. One grape variety dominates the Australian wine scene: shiraz. It is the most widely planted and our most important. While Penfolds Grange and Henschke
Hill of Grace have garnered an international reputation and a level of prestige with pricing hovering around $900 on release, there are more affordable options. Plus, some of our most delicious wines are made in cooler climates. Take Canberra. Clonakilla has led the shiraz viognier style crafting such a distinct wine yet also produces an exceptional syrah that’s generally more savoury and medium-weighted. Many coolclimate producers opt for labelling it with the French name syrah to distinguish it from full-bodied, highoctane shiraz from warmer regions. Maybe it’s confusing, however, Australian syrah is here to stay. Another reason for the variety’s reputation, it’s excellent as a blender. It just seems to amalgamate well with a diverse range from tempranillo and sangiovese to pinot noir. On the latter, the famed Hunter Valley light red blend of pinot noir and shiraz made in-roads in the Yarra Valley a few years ago, thanks to Sarah Crowe at Yarra Yering, and has been taken up by others. The blend is now seeping across Mornington Peninsula, with Kooyong adopting it.
In a way, our most popular variety is the most egalitarian, too. From inexpensive to high-end with everything in between, there is a shiraz for everyone.
2021 Nick O’Leary Heywood Red Blend Canberra District
A blend of 40/40/20% tempranillo/shiraz/ sangiovese off the family vineyard, up to 30% whole-bunch pressed. Aged in used French barriques and puncheons for 10 months. This is a ripper. While it charms with upfront fruit flavours and lots of spice, it’s a savoury wine with drinkability writ large. Lighter framed, juicy, tangy acidity and fine, almost silky, tannins. I’d enjoy this in cool or warm weather.
2019 Clonakilla T&L Vineyard Block Two Shiraz Viognier Canberra District
Block Two was planted in Murrumbateman in 2001, with cuttings from Best’s Old Block Shiraz planted circa 1860. 30% whole bunches, wild co-fermentation with 6% viognier then aged in French oak barriques, one-third new, for 18 months. The result is a stunning wine. Pepper, baking spices, a smidge of eucalyptus and a savoury umami-seaweed note infuse the intense dark fruits, while a touch of smoky reduction adds an extra layer of complexity. Full bodied, deep and rich with beautiful tannin structure. This is a refined, classy red.
2018 Craiglee Sunbury Shiraz
There are some wines that are special and unique because they not dictated to by fashion or shareholders and, more importantly, they have a strong sense of place. That’s Craiglee. Expect a taste of dark plums, cedary oak, pepper and spice, licorice and gum leaf. The palate is full bodied, with ripe, silky tannins hugging all the way through to a resounding finish. Stamped with Craiglee DNA.
2020 Narkoojee Valerie Gippsland Shiraz
There’s no denying the fruit quality and depth of flavour here as it has soaked up the French oak (19 months in 50% new oak). An excellent mid red with a purple tinge; loaded with dark fruits, cedary spice, aniseed and earthiness. It’s full bodied, with plush tannins yet some grip. Decant it to enjoy now, but it will garner more complexity in time.
2021 Port Phillip Estate Pinot Noir Shiraz Mornington Peninsula
Piloting a new addition of a blend garnering accolades in the Yarra Valley, from a tradition kickstarted in the Hunter Valley. Equal portions of fruit, destemmed with some whole bunches into stainless-steel vats for wild fermentation, aged 9 months in used French barriques and blended before bottling. This rendition is exactly what the style should be about, which is a vibrancy of fruit and freshness. Spiced plums and cherries with lots of savoury inputs some woodsy spices, herbs and a succulence across the light- to mid-weighted palate. Textural tannins and juicy acidity to close. Good one Glenn (Hayley, winemaker).
2020 Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Mornington Peninsula Syrah
If pinot noir is your go-to red on the peninsula, this syrah just might convince you otherwise, as it’s an elegant and perfectly poised wine. A neat combo of dark plums, fragrant with red licorice, a hint of menthol and woodsy spices. Sitting comfortably on medium bodied, with beautiful textural tannins unfurling all the way through.
2019 Cobaw Ridge Syrah Macedon Ranges
A wine that’s so alive it pulses with energy and vitality. It comes up all savoury and spicy at first, with a damp-forest fragrance, red roses, licorice root, mint chocolate and cedary oak. The fruit within is excellent. It’s elegant across its more mid-weighted palate, the tannins superfine and the finish long. Totally seductive syrah.
2019 Ravensworth Estate Shiraz Viognier
Sometimes, a wine just feels calm, balanced. Nothing overt, with the edges smooth, such as this lovely wine with its 4% viognier, cofermented. A core of ripe fruit and spices, with layers of savouriness, but it’s not fruity at all. Medium bodied, supple, with textural tannins and lots of detail throughout. Finishes long and pure.
2019 Mount Langi Ghiran Vineyards Langi Grampians Shiraz
Hand-picked fruit, 90/10% whole berries/ bunches into small open-top fermenters with natural yeasts. Pressed to tank, transferred to French oak barriques (60% new) for mlf and 18 months’ maturation. The Swiss clone, planted in 1969 and still on its own roots, is at the heart of this impressive flagship shiraz. It has a deep vein of ripeness of dark plum, aniseed, sage, lifted wood spices and blackberries. Taut across the palate in structure but velvety in flavour, it raises the question of when to drink. The answer: not just now, if possible. JP.
2020 Best’s Wines Thomson Family Great Western Shiraz
Oozes class and elegance. Destined for a long and fruitful life, Thomson Family Shiraz embraces blackcurrant, blood plum, bramble, briar, earth and spice. Fine in features, it can be deceiving because there is a strength here, built on old vines and the gentlest of oak, which allows the fruit to sing.