What to drink ... Australian shiraz
Born in the old world, shiraz is blossoming to maturity in the new.
UP TO $25
Windy Peak Heathcote Shiraz 2012 $14
Windy Peak wines are exceptional value, and part of the diverse De Bortoli stable. They are made to be enjoyed now, so no cellaring is required - although they will benefit from another year or two in bottle. This '12 Heathcote shiraz has loads of spice, bay leaf, blueberries and plums. Medium-bodied, soft and plush with slightly grippy tannins yet juicy, the cleansing acidity makes it perfect with pizza topped with pork and fennel sausage. While this shiraz has a rawness of youth, give it some breathing space - decant or pour into a large glass. Try Nick's Wine Merchants.
UP TO $40
Quartz Hill Pyrenees Syrah 2010 $32
Shane and Michelle Mead planted their vineyard in the Pyrenees in 1995, adopting biodynamic farming practices. While the production remains minuscule, the quality remains high; as a bonus, they are extremely well-priced. In reference to cool-climate shiraz and the variety's spiritual home, the Rhone, they call theirs syrah and there's a lot to like. It's perfumed with florals, liquorice, pepper and spice, a core of lovely fruit and a pleasing savoury edge. It's medium-bodied with smooth, ripe tannins and a creamy mid-palate. From Blackhearts and Sparrows outlets.
OVER $40
Lethbridge Estate Shiraz 2010 $40
Lethbridge Estate produces a clutch of very fine wines, from pinot noir and chardonnay to shiraz and more. The fruit for this wine is from a vineyard on Mount Duneed, believed to be the oldest shiraz plantings in the region. It's a concentrated, full-bodied wine with round, velvety tannins. It has loads of sweet fruit and is ripe and luscious but not overripe. It opens up to reveal dried sage, liquorice, a core of gorgeous fruit (all plums and pips) with spice and pepper before a long finish. Drinking well now, it will age five or so years more. From Lethbridge Estate, Geelong.
SPLURGE
Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2011 $108
It seems only yesterday I bought the first release of the Clonakilla shiraz viognier, yet late last year the Kirk family celebrated 20 vintages of the wine. The 2011 is from the most challenging vintage winemaker Tim Kirk has encountered and yet the wine, of which less than half the normal amount was made, is a beauty. On the lighter side of medium-bodied but by no means wimpy, its chalky tannins and acidity meld with berry and plum fruits. Delicately spiced, and with neatly integrated oak, it opens up in the glass with elegance and precision. At Randall the Wine Merchant, Geelong.