Max, a former partner of mine, is the only Ausso-Franco-Canadian I know - a Québecois carrying an Aussie passport. So when Max gave me this Aussie wine for Christmas I assumed he had "inside knowledge". Whether or not this was true, it was a delicious wine...The 2001 Grant Burge Shadrach Cabernet Sauvignon is a regional blend (60% Coonawarra fruit, 18% Barossa, 22% Adelaide Hills). An impressive nose that starts with herb (mint and basil) and vegetal notes, later some wet leather and tobacco...cassis, strawberry, violet and graphite...heavy oak, but it dissipated nicely...beautiful! The palate impresses with silky tannins and crisp fruit - a zingy natural acidity, a wine that is sparkling and alive. Delicious, lingering, and not showing any signs of age...still tasting great 5 hours later. My first wine from Grant Burge, certainly won't be the last. (sold out in Québec, a newer vintage is available at LCBO)
cork. 13.5% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: gift
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5 comments:
Joe,
This sounds good. I have a bottle of the 1998 waiting for cooler weather and a T bone!
Good scoop on the '01, I recently got to try the 03 Meshach as well as the 05 Shadrach. Both were impressive, particularly the Meshach coming from a touchy feely vintage.
Burge's wines from the Miamba up are starting to click on my radar.
Hi Ed, have you tried other vintages? I think Coonawarra fruit is growing on me.
Erin - glad to hear the rest of the range is impressive. This used to be available for $30-ish here in Quebec and sold out, I see the '05 is over $50 at LCBO.
Joe,
Not tried other vintages, was tempted to open my 98 today, but decided on a more inappropriate bottle (its 40 degrees C and I'm having lamb curry with a bottle of Coonawarra Merlot!).
What other Coonawarra based wines are in Canada? The Wynns black label is always solid and one of my must tries. Petaluma very good but in the mid $50s now, Majella very good - but polarises drinkers, Katnook good, perhaps a little overdone at times. . .
Ed - we have a fair amount of Katnook (founders block, prodigy, others), no Majella, white Petaluma, Wynns John Riddoch and regular Shiraz. Any thoughts?
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