Quarry Hill Shiraz 2008
$18, Screwcap, 13.5%
Source: Gift
www.quarryhill.com.au

Firstly, a caveat: Quarry Hill is the source of the grapes for my own wine, so I can strongly connect with the aromas and flavours in this wine. Further, I have a particular fondness for Canberra district Shiraz. Whilst that shouldn’t strictly cloud my judgement, both are sources of bias, so keep this in mind when reading this review…
Regardless, I rather like this wine. More specifically, I like drinking this wine. I like the moderation of flavours. I like the slow roasted beef, charcoal and healthy dose of pepper that wafts out of the glass, smelling at once absolutely ripe yet also quite floral, herbal even. That pretty peppered meatiness is oh so cool climate Shiraz, and oh so attractive.

Nice.

Interestingly, it’s not until you hit the palate that the first real flavours of ‘fruit’ appear, coming through as a rather dark and almost grainy, sinewy black fruit character, animal and chewy, yet sitting on a palate that is rather medium bodied and, following the nose, somewhat herbal.

The complete package is very much built in an un-showy, fragrant and meaty style that is – and I very much apologise for the cliche – rather Northern Rhonish. It’s Crozes Hermitage like, if we are going for exacts, and presents as a very drinkable and enjoyable Shiraz.

Now if only my wine tasted like this…. 17.4/91