Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2005 South Australia; 14,5% abv; 22,50€
This Old Persian project has been interesting not only linguistically but vinously, also. It has "forced" me to try the Aussie range at our monopoly. Perhaps now is not a good time to give an overview of my findings since we still have 3-4 sessions of both Dārayavahuš and Aussie Purple Monsters ahead. But though there have been wines that provided some interest to me, sadly they for the most part have not been wines that I would buy nor wines that I particularly enjoy. They have been heavy, with more dried fruit/prune character than anything fresh or refreshing, sweet. Some have had adequate structure, but only the Cape Mentelle Shiraz has been refreshing - and even that is a bit frightening because of its supremely high alcohol (though it was amazingly well hidden). Sadly whoever is in charge of Australia at Alko seems to think Finns only want massive Shiraz full of purplosity. What I have so far tried, I am sure, shows much less variety than there must be in Australia.
Well, the Kalimna is one more of those wines that come partly to where I hope wines would be, yet in other respects fails to provide pleasure to me. The good things are its lack of overt oak aromas (I believe it is aged in old hogsheads?) and its prominent if softish tannins; and in its scent I like the meaty, peppery, savoury yet sweet dark fruit. Sadly what distracts from this goodness is the prune/dried fruit character combined to noticeable alcohol (though 14,5% it smells and tastes much more than the Cape Mentelle with 15%).