February 10-16, 2005

food

All That Shiraz

Down under in one: Dutschke St. Jakobi '01, described by one taster as "a warm blanket of earth and fruit." Photo By: Michael T. Regan

Copied after French syrah, the versatile Australian shiraz is as cheap as you are.

by Peter Burwasser

The two great New World outposts of wine making, the American West Coast and Southern Australia, share a number of important traits, including a predilection for big, complex, boldly conceived wines and an ardent embrace of new technology and science. But there is also an interesting distinction. The Americans, especially in California, have chosen Bordeaux as their main inspiration, with the cabernet sauvignon reigning as the prince of grapes. The Aussies, who also grow plenty of cab, have gravitated to the south of France to the Rhone valley as their bellwether, thus with the syrah grape in the starring role, which they have cheekily renamed shiraz.

The first world-class wine from Australia was the all-shiraz Penfolds Grange, which was directly modeled after Hermitage, the classic 100 percent syrah wine from the northern Rhone. Grange is still being made, available to anyone willing to part with roughly $300 per 750-milliliter bottle for its traditional artisanal production methods, such as special barrel aging and handpicking of grapes. Fortunately, Penfolds has spawned a wave of less expensive shiraz production with amazingly high quality across a broad range of costs. Shiraz is now undoubtedly the national wine of Australia, with the potential to become even more distinctive as a school of viticulture than California cabernet sauvignon.

We tasted a seven-shiraz selection, and our panel of seven tasters were unanimous in the opinion that there was not a dog to be had. The differences were mainly in matters of personal preferences and not in questions of craft and quality. Many Australian winemakers produce smart blends of shiraz and other grapes of French origin, including cabernet sauvignon, mourvedre and grenache, but we wanted to have the shiraz experience all by its naked self.

We included one French syrah as an example of traditional Rhone wine making. All agreed that the Australians were less different from each other than they were from the syrah. This was a telling demonstration of how the same grape can be made into a different wine when soil, technique and culture are added to the essential mix of characteristics.

Cost was not revealed to the tasters until after scoring. Prices ranged from $11 to $32, and are from the Stalinist state stores. Real bargains can be found elsewhere, such as the Wyndham Estate Bin 555, which is almost always in the single digit range. In order of preference:

Dutschke St. Jakobi '01 ($32)

Here's a case of getting what you pay for — not always a good bet in the world of wine. Our first-place bottle by a kangaroo leap. "Velvety deep cherry bouquet," "complex, with both red and black fruit" and "a warm blanket of earth and fruit" typified the reaction. Probably the only one of the group with aging potential.

Maison Nicolas "Consensus" Syrah '01 ($13.89)

"Perhaps the French know what they're doing." This French syrah presents a rounder and, in this company, perhaps blander style than the Australians, but certainly an easy bottle to curl up with. Drier, less fruity than the rest, with "chocolate and coffee tones."

Rafferty's Rules '01 ($13)

The most distinctive of the bunch, "wildly fruity nose," "cognac and licorice," "plums." One happy taster reported that it warmed her to her toes, but another was put off by thinness and liquor on the nose.

Penfolds Thomas Hyland '02 ($15)

Our representative from the mighty Penfolds empire. No strong opinions about this one in any direction. "Inviting and fruity bouquet, nice balance." A flowery nose with faint kerosene overtones for the host. "Good from start to finish, I would drink this," and what more can you ask of a wine?

Wyndham Estate Bin 555 '02 ($11)

Scored very close to the Penfolds at a third less in cost, and also emerged as a completely likable if unexciting quaff. "Wide, fruity, pleasant," seemed to capture the consensus, although one doubting Thomas decried "the acidity, like a '67 Grateful Dead concert."

Palandri '01 ($17)

This one drew the most divergent reactions. "Deep prunes and licorice and lovely balance," "multilayered but not overwhelming." OK, but the host found a syrupy dullness and abrupt finish, and one taster went so far as to declare this one "sharp and medicinal; I'd rather drink NyQuil."

Lindemans Reserve South Australia '03 ($11)

An odd concoction, "charred," "black cherries," and a distinct smell of liquor, Scotch for some, tequila for the host. "Warm afterglow, with a smoky feel," or, to put it more poetically, "erotic and exotic, the Eartha Kitt of shiraz."

Barossa Valley Estate "Spires" '02 ($11.50)

Underwhelming for most, and tight. "Felt it more than smelt it," said one, while another referenced Gertrude Stein: "Where's the there?" One experienced taster praised the "sour cherry bouquet and creamy body."