Hewitson - "Ned and Henry" - Barossa Valley - Australia - 2006

Shiraz / Mourvedre
Barossa / $22 - $30

Although Australian wines are often labeled by the critical press as "Over the Top", they are still some of the finest values to be found for frugal wine lovers. Consistently delivering a lot of wine for the money, there are some gems to be found that should be on the top of every wine lovers list.

Hewitson is one of my favorite producers in the Barossa Valley. With 8-10 different wines released each year, they are consistently good year to year. Hewitson is one of my "Go-To" producers when I am looking for a wine to impress.

Ned and Henry is a lovely shiraz with a touch of mourvedre blended in for balance. Named after the estates two sons, this wine is big, rich and fruit forward. Those that like Aussie reds will love the balance and richness of this red.

It pours purple and the color is saturated. The nose is gobs of black fruit, red fruit some vanilla and licorice. The wine tastes of black fruit, plum, cola and finished with a hint of nut and earth. This is a medium bodied wine with a decadent feel.

How much can you expect to pay for this decadence? I found this wine on-line for $21.00. If you buy it retail, you can expect to pay up to $30. Even at $30, this is a lot of wine for the money. Most importantly, it is a bottle of wine that will not disappoint. I could easily see folks that taste this wine blind assume it is a $50 bottle of wine.

This wine is imported by John Larchet who owns "The Australian Premium Wine Collection". Any time you see this neck label, I can promise you it is attached to a wonderful wine. I had the chance to taste the entire collection last year with Josh Raynolds of IWC. There was not a bad wine in the bunch.

Maybe the best part of this review today is not specifically this review, but the recommendation to look out for this neck label when searching store shelves for a wine. It may be cheating, but I promise you that you won't go wrong.

Has anyone tasted any other wines in this collection? Do you agree with my analysis? Report back. You can comment following this post.

Fireblock "Old Vines" Shiraz 2005

Clare Valley / Australia
Shiraz (Syrah) / $20.00

Some readers have e-mailed me asking why I have been on such an Australian wine kick lately. The answer is simple...I like Australian wine. Not only do I like the Australian style, but it is one of the few countries remaining with wines that I still consider a value.

I tasted over 120 wines with John Larchet, owner of "The Australian Premium Wine Collection" last month during a two day tasting. I got to spend the entire weekend with John and was thrilled to be able to taste his wines.

John emphasised his love for wines that are highly aromatic. He told me he felt that when a wine smells great, there is a high probability that it will taste great too. All of the wines he imports have one thing in common. They are balanced. There is not excessive acidity, tannin, alcohol or oak. He likes to say his wines are smooth and easy drinking, with "no arms or legs" sticking out to ruin the experience. I found his wines extraordinary. All of them seemed to suit my palate.


When tasting so many wines over a short period of time, you develop a shorthand while making notes. None of the shorthand is standardized. It becomes a private language that would make sense only to the taster. When reviewing my notes for the Fireblock "Old Vines" Shiraz, the first thing I read was in all capital letters.
"HOME RUN". In my shorthand, it is the highest complement I can pay a wine.

"HOME RUN" designates a wine that is easy to drink, has great structure, is flavorful and is considered a good value based upon price. The Fireblock "Old Vines" touched all bases.

The wine pours a dark purple. Immediately you can smell the aroma of black and red fruit, violet, smoke and spice. The wine is lush in the mouth with just enough weight to saturate the palate. The black fruit is ripe, a bit spicy with balanced tannins and long finish. This wine has French Rhone characteristics. The wine is beautifully balanced, elegant and easy drinking...



Fireblock is produced in the Clare Valley in South Australia. Bill and Noel Ireland are former wine retailers from Sydney and are the owners of the Fireblock Label. They are also partners in another wine venture in the Margaret River area called Flinders Bay. Their passion for wine is reflected in the product they produce.

The parcel of land that is now the Fireblock vineyard runs along an old rail line. Initially the land was uncultivated and used to prevent fire along the rail lines. The old steam trains used to spew soot and cinder that could set wildfires along the tracks if ground was planted. Happily, the demise of steam locomotives now allows for much more efficient, and tasty, use of the land.

This wine is still undiscovered in the United States. Although widely available through wholesalers, it is not stocked in many local wine stores. Make an effort to request this one. It is a wonderful wine, from a wonderful winemaker. Once the retailer knows there is interest in this wine they will start stocking it on a regular basis. Do yourself a favor....ask them to order you some. You won't be disappointed

Tait "Ball Buster" (Really!)

Shiraz / Barossa Valley
91 pts. / $14-$21

This is the second time I have reviewed Tait's "Ball Buster". I raved about it last year when the 2005 was released, and I was looking forward to see if the wine quality would remain consistent. It has.

I actually purchased this wine last year to give as a gag gift to a fellow wine geek. He had a tendency to give me a hard time about some of my reviews, so the "Ball Buster" moniker was appropriate. It was Australian, reasonably priced and certainly good for a few laughs. Well, the joke was on me. The wine was, and is, a fabulous value.

The 2006 is as good as the 2005, but different. The 2005 was rich, chewy with lots of glycerin. It had good structure, and had the bones to lay down for years in the cellar. The 2005 has softer tannins. Still remarkably delicious, just softer, ready now and easier to drink.

The wine is actually a blend. It is 78% Shiraz, 12% Cabernet and 10% Merlot. Each grape brings strengths to the blend. This is another case of the whole being better then the sum of its parts. Those of you that have been reading over the years know I am a sucker for a big, fruity blend. This is it.

The wine pours a deep purple typical of this style Aussie Shiraz. It is lip staining purple. The nose leads with fresh asphalt, earth, lots of blue fruit, coffee and some anise on the end. The flavors are explosive. Blueberry, mocha, tar are mouth filling and satisfying. You can taste the tannins, but they are velvety, more mature and not overwhelming.

I have found this wine on-line from $13.99 to $21. This wine, especially in this vintage, is a must try. Don't let the silly name or low price fool you. This is a seriously good wine!

I was invited to a Ridge Vineyards tasting this evening in Arlington, VA. I can't wait to taste their portfolio. I'll be sure to report on my favorites later in the week. Please be sure to leave your comments after tasting. Let me know if you agree with my tasting notes.

Torbrek Woodcutter's Red Shiraz 2006

Shiraz (Syrah) / $16-$22
Barossa Valley / South Australia

I bought this wine last fall on the recommendation of Doug Rosen at ARROWINE in Arlington, VA. He bought a few pallets, and sold it at a blow out price. I bought a case and stocked it in the cellar to let it rest a bit.

There are positive and negative attributes to having a cellar. The positive part is you have a dedicated space to store your wine in a controlled environment. The negative is you can sometimes forget what you have in the racks at any given moment. I found this wine hidden away while making room for some wine that was being delivered today, and decided to take a bottle upstairs to try.

Parker gave this wine 92 points. In all candor, that is the reason I bought a case of this wine. At $15.99 a bottle on sale, and 92 points....it seemed like a good deal. I like Australian Shiraz, and this certainly hit a sweet price point.

The screw top is convenient on these bottles, but I still feel it cheapens the wine experience. I understand that these closures may ultimately be proven superior to cork. Emotionally though, I love to go through the the routine of opening with a corkscrew. I actually had the corkscrew out and ready to use until I realized I did not need it....

The wine is very purple. Think Welch's grape juice purple. The aroma was sweet, heavy with black cherry, plum and blue fruits. It did not disappoint. There were no surprises on the flavor side. Lots of Blueberry with cherry and blueberry undertones. It has a big mouth feel, the fruit is almost overwhelming (Not that there is anything wrong with that...Thanks, Jerry Seinfeld). It finished smooth without any bitterness or heavy tannins.

This is a very pleasant wine. I know that Parker gave it a 92, but remember this is a Australian Shiraz. If you do not appreciate the fruit forward style of the Australian winemakers, you will not care for this wine at all. If you do, as I do, you will appreciate this for what it is. A great Australian value.

You can still find this wine an any good wine shop. Torbrek has been producing good wines with price points that run from $16 to $225. For a real treat, try their "Run Rig" Shiraz. It is made with super premium grapes, and a truly fabulous experience. Just remember though....for the price of ONE bottle of "Run Rig" you can buy a case of "Woodcutters" Red....

I am attending a Bordeaux tasting with some friends tonight which I will report on this weekend. Until then, Cheers!