WTN: 1995 St. Halletts Old Block Shiraz

SWMBO forgot to thaw a couple of steaks for Friday night dinner, so I was deputed to make dinner as well as dig up the end of week bottle.

I grabbed a pork tenderloin, and threw some pasta on to cook. Sautee the pork, sliced into medallions, then deglaze with a little cognac, add some chopped capers, parsley, pepper, and 100 ml. or so of whipping cream, and you end up with a caper cream sauced pork on pasta. Thing I needed to do was decide what went with that - big white, light red.....or...

I went for a mature Aussie Shiraz, which probably wouldn't have been anyone's first thought, but it worked out well.

Garnet colour showed the age, but not browning at the edges yet. Slightly sweet syrah nose, and on palate good acidity, a soft velvety feel and still some supple tannin. Very good length. This is the sort of Austalian Shiraz I enjoy - not a fruit bomb, not over the top, not just a sweet juicy whizbang, faded in 5 years. Pity so many we get in this market are the whizbang sort with no lasting power, unlike this one.

Bill,

I often sit here aghast at the endless stream of soupy, sweet, spoofulated Australian red wines that make their way to your shores (read North American). Brands and names we almost never see here. Who are these people and what are they trying to do? Destroy the good work of over one hundred and fifty years of tradition of the local wine industry? Selling to the taste of the market? Niche marketing? Just greedy opportunists, if you ask me.

Thankfully, wine's of the calibre of the Old Block Shiraz you review, are much more the norm over here and very little of the crap I refer to above is sold in Australia.

Thanks for the note.

Thankfully, wine's of the calibre of the Old Block Shiraz you review, are much more the norm over here and very little of the crap I refer to above is sold in Australia.

Thanks for the note.

I can only conclude that some marketing geeks are under the impression that we all like cough syrup or something. We CAN get the good ones, we just have to wade through a flood of bad ones to find them.

I would agree with your take on Australian wines. I had just recently found a 1998 Penfold's Bin 128 Shiraz hiding in my cellar that was a very pleasant surprise. It was drinking wonderfully and was great with food. I had remembered tasting it in it's youth where it only hinted at things to come but I am glad I waited. After touring a few wine regions in Australia back in 2006 I am convinced that they have many many exceptional wines although most are hard to find here in the states. St. Halletts was one of the wineries that impressed me at that time.

When I was in Australia two weeks ago for business in Sydney, I was able to run up to the Hunter valley for a day and was quite surprised after visiting a handful of boutique wineries. It is not all goopy wines with high alcohol although you would think that with many of our choices here.

I've liked just about all the Penfold's I've done.

[Jenise]

When I was in Australia two weeks ago for business in Sydney, I was able to run up to the Hunter valley for a day and was quite surprised after visiting a handful of boutique wineries. It is not all goopy wines with high alcohol although you would think that with many of our choices here.

Yet try to find Hunter Valley wines here. Last year I was putting together two Aussie tastings and found that 100% of my choices were McClaren Vale and Barossa wines. Well, and generic South Australia. And not that those areas don't have some good products but mostly all that's here are the ones that reinforce the stereotype.

Bill,
I often sit here aghast at the endless stream of soupy, sweet, spoofulated Australian red wines that make their way to your shores (read North American). Brands and names we almost never see here. Who are these people and what are they trying to do? Destroy the good work of over one hundred and fifty years of tradition of the local wine industry? Selling to the taste of the market? Niche marketing? Just greedy opportunists, if you ask me.

Thankfully, wine's of the calibre of the Old Block Shiraz you review, are much more the norm over here and very little of the crap I refer to above is sold in Australia.

Thanks for the note.

David, I drink very liittle Aussie shiraz, for this very reason. Most I can get are exactly as you described. The one exception is the Tahbilk shiraz AND cabernet. My problems with those two wines are than I can't find them. I have what I hope is a continuing source for the Tahbilk marsanne though I have to have it shipped 500 miles or more. I know where there are some 1999 Tahbilk cab and some 2000 shiraz. I probably should just bite the bullet and get them. I think I can get the two cases for $350 total. I've had the shiraz, and even have a 6-pack left now, but have not had the 99 cabernet. So if you have tell me about it.

I have taken to reading and posting a little on Gavin's board, and most of the wines posted there are wines I have never heard of.

Forgive me, Winefather, for I sinned. Corti Brothers in Sacramento had a Tower Estates Hunter Valley Shiraz from 2001. Thought I would give it a try.