Barossa Shiraz: An Exploration of its Sub-Regions

I’d be really happy if we could celebrate wine for what it is and not what it “should be”. Grapevines can be manipulated to an extent, but if we keep insisting that alcohol levels should be this, and tannins should be that (etc.) we will continue down the line of homogenised bland wine that will take the interest out of what is a remarkable product and can provide emotional experiences to the consumer. Let’s appreciate the natural tendencies of regionality and worry less about “the market place”. 

~ Andrew Seppelt, Winemaker & Partner at Murray Street Vineyards

Swirl, Sniff, Spit's next outing will be exploring the sub-regionality of the Barossa Valley through arguably its most famous grape variety - Shiraz - using the knowledge and insight of one of its favourite sons: Murray Street Vineyards Andrew Seppelt.

If you are wondering what sub-regionality is, we like to think of it thus: instead of being one singular entity, the Barossa is a complex patchwork of micro, or sub-regions.  Each of these sub-regions display its own unique character, and through this tasting we are looking to explore - and hopefully understand - those unique characters.

The wines are a mix of vintages and wineries so we will see some variation there, but the consistent element should always be the underlying notion of 'terroir' or the sense of place, the dirt from whence a wine came.

Western Ridge

Murray Street Vineyards 'Gomersal' Shiraz 2008 (VF) Twitter: @MSVWine

South Barossa

TeAro Estate 'Charred Door' Shiraz 2008 (VF) Twitter: @TeAroEstate

South Central

tbc

Foothills

Cirillo 'Steingarten Vineyard' Shiraz 2010 (VF) Twitter: @n/a

Eden Valley

Sons of Eden 'Remus' Eden Valley Shiraz 2009 Twitter: @SonsOfEden

Yalumba 'Swingbridge Vineyard' Craneford Shiraz 2007 (VF) Twitter: @Yalumba

Valley Floor

tbc

Northern Barossa

Westlake Vineyards 'Eleazar' Shiraz 2009 (VF) Twitter: @WestlakeWine

Greenock

Murray Street Vineyards 'Greenock' Shiraz 2008 (VF) Twitter: @MSVWine

Yelland  & Papps 'Devote' Shiraz 2010 (VF) Twitter: @YellandAndPapps

Central West

Whistler Wines tbc Twitter: @WhistlerWines

The tasting on 21st August and spaces open up 9am on 13th August on a first-come-first-served basis.

(VF) = Vegan Friendly

Session 7 - Semillon

Hunter Valley Semillon has been described as Australia's gift to the world.  Like many grape varieties it originates in France, specifically in the Bordeaux region where it is often blended with Sauvignon Blanc to make Bordeaux Blanc whites, or made into sweet botrytis affected styles as with Sauternes-Barsac.


Within Australia, there are three principal regions where Semillon is grown and made into wines of renown: Margaret River (WA), Barossa Valley (SA), and Hunter Valley (NSW).


This #SwirlSniffSpit tasting, as ever, has brought together a tasting encompassing Semillon in a broad variety of styles, demonstrating its versatility, and showing why it should be in your fridge this summer.


Bracket 1 - Sparkling
Bimbadgen Estate NV Sparkling, Hunter Valley @bimbadgen
St Agouant 1999 Brut Blanc de Blanc, Bordeaux @TheTruffleManOz


Bracket 2 - Young Semillon
Scarborough Wine Green Label Semillon 2011, Hunter Valley @ScarboroughWine
Murray Street Vineyards Semillon 2010, Barossa Valley @MSVWine


Bracket 3 - South Burnet, Queensland
Clovely Estate Left Field Semillon 2010 @ClovelyWine
Barambah Estate Semillon 2008 @BarambahWines


Bracket 4 - Aged Semillon
Meerea Park 2005 Alexander Munro Semillon, Hunter Valley @MeereaPark 
Peter Lehmann Wines Margaret Semillon 2005, Barossa Valley @PLWines


Bracket 5 - Off-Dry & Barrel Fermented
Thomas Wines 6 Degrees Semillon 2010, Hunter Valley @ThomasWines
Juniper Estate Semillon 2009, Margaret River


Bracket 6 - Dessert Wines
De Bortoli Wines Black Noble @DeBortoliWines
Punt Road Botrytis Semillon 2010, Yarra Valley @PuntRdWines

Follow Swirl, Sniff, Spit on twitter:
http://twitter.com/SwirlSniffSpit

Session 6 - Grenache

Grenache is one of Australia's own.  Despite its origins being of Northern Spain (one of its synonyms is Tinta Aragones - red of Aragon) and it being lauded as a key component of Southern Rhone blends, Grenache was one of the grape varieties brought to Australia by James Busby not long after settlement.

Much neglected for many years, it was often used in fortified wines to provide alcohol and bulk, some of Australia's oldest vines were pulled in the 80's vine pull.  Thankfully the old fines are treasured and from them some stunning wines made.

Swirl, Sniff, Spit loves Grenache and is gleeful at the prospect of this glorious Grenache line-up being brought to the fine folk of Brisbane.

McLaren Vale Cadenzias

d'Arenberg 2009 The Cadenzia GSM @darenberg

Dogridge Cadenzia Grenache 2007 @dogridge

Maximus Cadenzia GSM 2009 @maximuswines

Oliver's Taranga Cadenzia Grenache 2009 @OliversTaranga

Samuel's Gorge Cadenzia 2009 Grenache @SamuelsGorge

Yangarra Cadenzia 2006 @Yangarra

 

Barossa, Northern Spain and Southern Rhone
Vieux Telegraphe Le Pigeolet des Brunier Vin de Pays 2008

Sons of Eden Kennedy vintage tbc @SonsOfEden

Clovely Left Field GSM 10 @ClovelyWine

Cirillo The Vincent 2009

MDV Eden Valley 2009 @MDVwines

Turkey Flat 2009 @TurkeyFlat

Palacios Remondo 'La Vendimia' 2010

Vina Ginesa Rojo 2009