Taylors Jaraman Shiraz 2006 (Clare valley & McLaren Vale, SA)
Screwcap, $28

The ugly duckling of the Taylors range, this Jaraman has had a facelift – as you can see by the picture, its got some brand new packaging (which I quite like). The wine itself is not quite there yet, though I think plenty will appreciate the style.

Deep, dark, dense red maroon colour, you can fairly guess this wines intention from the outset – lashings of everything. The nose is dominated by rich chocolate bounty oak – If you dig the smell of oak barrels and that lovely sweet smell, you’ll like this. Its an open knit nose with lots of density, the jammy fruit simmering below the oaky surface. Suitably, the palate is quite tight, toasty & oaky with rich, very ripe red fruit that is dense, sweet and quite cumbersome. Oak tannins heavily influence the finish and minutes later I can still taste the oak. It will open up, but what then? The oak should integrate for sure, but will it be a better wine or will it just fall over..

So I have to admit that I find this style of wine near undrinkable. Too dense, heavy, oaky & blunt. However I also know of heaps of people will absolutely piss their pants over this sort of sweetly rich, mega ripe, fruit & oak doused beasty. I’d recommend following your own palate preferences here. 15.5