Shiraz,
blind:
a tasting with Robin Tedder MW
Held
at Bibendum, June 2006
Robin
Tedder MW is an Australian winemaker with a Scottish heritage: his
winery is named Glenguin after the fact that he’s actually the Baron
of Glenguin. He’s inherited the title from his grandfather, Air
Chief Marshall Arthur Tedder who was awarded the title in 1946 after
his service in the war (I’ve seen his grandfather’s uniform in the
Royal Airforce Museum at Hendon). I’ve got a softspot for Glenguin:
when I visited the Hunter Valley back in 2000 I tried a few of these
wines and really fell for them. It’s a small family estate—‘8000
cases is a big year for us’, says Tedder—with a vineyard out at
Broke and a plot of 66 year old dryland vines in Pokolbin.
‘For
me, blind tasting is the only way to assess wine’, maintains Tedder.
‘If you know it is Château Latour you have all these influences knowing its
history.’ So we got to taste this interesting and rather varied
line-up of Shiraz/Syrah, which included a couple of Tedder’s
Glenguin wines blind, which was fun. I’m reproducing my notes here
just as written, with no after the fact editing, although the fact
that it was single blind (where the list of wines tasted was provided)
may have shaped perceptions where I think I’ve guessed the wine and
then write my note accordingly. As you can see, blind tasting is an
appropriately humbling experience: some I found easy, such as the
Verset and the Grange; others were trickier. I was impressed by the
performance of the Glenguins, although I have to say that the
competition wasn’t as stiff as it could have been.
It
was a slightly unusual tasting, though. The clientele was mixed: quite
a few restaurant customers; few press. The rather glamorous girl
sitting next to me gave a very good impression of never having tasted
wine before in any professional capacity: she seemed completely
bemused by the process, admitting a liking only for the biggest,
sweetest wine, the Katnook. A sommelier’s girlfriend? Tedder
delivered his spiel like an MW lecture where we were very clearly the
students. And Bibendum’s Willie Lebus was at his dogmatic best,
hollering his views from the back of the room. All quite amusing.
I
should point out a few points on which I disagreed with some of the
prevalent views at the tasting. First, the Bibendum crew fell in line
with the Lebus opinion that the Verset was a crappy wine stuffed with
brett. I actually quite enjoyed it: while it’s no classic, it does
taste of where it has come from and I’d prefer drinking it to the
soupy over-ripe absurdity (now I’m exaggerating for effect) of the
Katnook and D’Arenberg. I was surprised by the Morgan, which I
liked, even though it was a few years past its best by general
consensus. On unmasking, I could see that this is probably the case,
but tasted blind it showed quite well. Prices are Bibendum's.
Glenguin
Schoolhouse Block Shiraz 2002 Hunter Valley, Australia
Spicy, earthy, slightly medicinal nose is fresh and leathery with
some evolution. The palate shows an earthy, slightly oxidised
character. There’s smoke and spice: is this a bit of brett?
There’s nice fresh acidity; a bit rustic and spicy. Interesting in
its style, with some ripeness and richness and a bit of new oak. Very
good/excellent 90/100 My guess: Glenguin Schoolhouse (£13.48)
Noel
Verset Cornas 2002 Northern Rhône, France
Slightly paler colour. Classic northern Rhône nose with a touch
of green olive and a medicinal edge. Slightly animally. The palate is
lean and expressive with nice, spicy, subtly herby fruit and lovely
freshness. A lighter style, too green for some, but I like it. Very
good/excellent 90/100 My guess: Verset Cornas (£16.16)
D’Arenberg
Dead Arm Shiraz 2003 McLaren Vale, Australia
Ripe, sweet new oak on the nose. Hint of coconut and vanilla. The
palate is ripe and sweet with plenty of new oak and a soft structure.
Seductive and concentrated but a bit simple. Very good+ 88/100 My
guess: Katnook (£28.49)
De
Trafford Blue Print Shiraz 2003 Stellenbosch, South Africa
Quite a distinctive roast coffee edge to the nose. The palate
shows plump ripe fruit. Nice balance here, but spoiled a bit by too
much roasted oak character. There’s some mineraliness hiding
underneath all this. Very good+ 87/100 My guess: Glenguin Stonybroke (£14.42)
Morgan
Shiraz 1996 California
Really nice, fresh, elegant red fruits nose: expressive and fine.
The palate has a nice, earthy spicy character under the smooth fruit.
Very good/excellent 91/100 My guess: Chapoutier. (No longer available)
Katnook Prodigy Shiraz 2000 Coonawarra, Australia
Overtly sweet, coconutty American oak on the nose. Quite
off-putting. The palate is rich, ripe, soupy and sweet. Really
concentrated, but too sweet and soft for me. Very good+ 86/100 (£33.10)
Chapoutier
Hermitage Le Meal 2001 Nothern Rhone, France
Shy nose. Quite a fresh red fruits palate with some minerality.
Good acidity supporting the nice fresh fruit. It’s a bit simple but
could evolve nicely. European styled. Very good+ 89/100 My guess:
Morgan (£89.96)
Glenguin
Stonybroke Shiraz 2002 Hunter Valley, Australia
Nice meaty, olivey complexity to the ripe fruits nose. Nice
freshness, with a minerality under the fruit. On the palate there’s
a fresh spiciness together with a touch of greenness. Good structue. A
little ‘dangerous’. Very good/excellent 90/100 My guess: De
Trafford (£10.41)
Penfolds
Grange 1999 South Australia
Spice, mint and menthol on the nose. There are ripe dark fruits, some
clove, some spice and a bit of oak. There’s high-ish volatile
acidity but it works in the style of the wine. The palate is
concentrated and rich with lots of dense spicy fruit and what tastes
like American oak. Very dense. Oaky but good. Very good/excellent
91/100 My guess: Grange (£109.28)
Wines tasted 06/06
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