Comments on Australian Wine Review: Woop Woop The Black Chook 'Free Range' GSV 2008

Good Question Rod, The 'v weed peachiness' in que...

2009-11-07T01:24:06.094+11:00

Good Question Rod,

The 'v weed peachiness' in question refers to the overt peach/apricot character that red blends containing Viognier sometimes show, combine with my own personal distain for how often this Viognier derived character is appearing in modern blends.

The 'peachiness' is largely an aroma more than anything else, but to my nose it is unwelcome and unappealing, usually indicating a wine where the Viognier is overdone/poorly integrated/too ripe/whatever.

The 'V-weed' term reflects my ongoing view that warm climate Shiraz (Barossa, Hunter, Mclaren vale etc) does not, and should never, need the sweetness, aromatic lift, palate rounding or colour brightening qualities of Viognier and that the addition of Viognier to such Shiraz based wines is a horrible, knee jerk reaction showcasing the very worst of faddish winemaking.

Please explain what "V-weed peachiness" is. Thank ...

2009-11-06T23:04:46.031+11:00

Please explain what "V-weed peachiness" is. Thank you.

Wholly agree with your sentiment re the grenache/s...

2009-11-03T19:50:48.254+11:00

Wholly agree with your sentiment re the grenache/shiraz/viognier blends. They can be superb little BBQ wines - if not the true connoisseur's choice.

I think Geoff Merrill at Woodcroft had it completely on the money when he was selling ex-US (or maybe UK?) bottles of his 2004 McLaren Vale SGV under his Family and Friends label for $5 a bottle. A perfect quaffer indeed. Best place to buy (and taste) cleanskins in Adelaide by the way.

Cheers as always,
Chris P