2009 West Cape Howe Viognier. $18, 13.5% abv. Aromatic, full of jasmine, lilacs, with firm acidity. Slightly grassy flavor with a bitter, herbal edge that I adore. Since this is dry and tart, I'd say to pair it with something savory and sweet, like roasted pork chops with a molasses glaze. I also think it has the strength to stand up to many of the dishes found on the standard American Thanksgiving table. 2008 West Cape Howe Shiraz. $18, 14% abv. Black cherry and black pepper, touch of spicy cinnamon. Medium tannins and a decent amount of fruit without going overboard. A good all-around Shiraz that should work well with lamb or a savory roast duck.
2006 West Cape Howe "Book Ends" Cabernet Sauvignon. $18, 14% abv. Deep flavors of plum and cassis, with leather, boysenberry, and tea present as well. Long, tart finish. While this is a great wine right now, it currently benefits from some breathing, and I think will be even better in a few years. My friend Paul and I opened this up over a couple of steaks, as well as the...
2007 West Cape Howe "Two Steps" Shiraz Viognier. $18, 14% abv. Only 5% Viognier, but oh, what a lovely blend. I love these two grapes together, and this was a spectacular wine. Soft cherry aromas with just a hint of floral elements, restrained red cherry flavor with undertones of chocolate and white pepper. Soft tannins and a long, delicious finish. The really great thing about this wine was the balance: every part was in harmony. It's kind of like seeing a movie where every actor was perfectly cast, or listening to a band when every musician is in the zone that night. Moreover, the wine could not be replicated merely by mixing together some of the separate Shiraz and Viognier bottles--I wasn't expecting that trick to work, but tried it anyway. A lot of talented winemaking went into this one. Highly recommended.
These wines were received as samples from The Country Vintner.
10 comments:
Nice to see that they're keeping the alcohol to a reasonable level. i recently received a couple of shiraz wines from Australia that have over 16 percent alcohol.
Fredric,
I've been pleased with all the wines from this producer. Good balance and, like you point out, sensible alcohol levels.
Cheers,
Benito
I adore the West Cape Howe Zeepard Rosé -- a really nice blend of Cab Sauv, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. I'm a fool for Rosé, of course, but still need to try their other offerings, some of which we carry at the wine store. Thanks for the info!
Kimberly,
You rock as always! That rosé is just delightful, but I've really enjoyed the various wines I've tried from them. If you're in the Southeast that wine region is pretty much the exact opposite point on the globe, so there's no way to try wine from further away unless it's made on the moon or something. :)
Cheers,
Benito
Tee Hee, good point! Wine made on the moon -- maybe one day, right? :)
I'll be tasting my set this week, and you've got me salivating.
Jo,
I'm anxious to hear your thoughts on these wines, particularly the Shiraz-Viognier.
Cheers,
Benito
To Fredric's point, I think that western Australia is still sort of "untapped" as a great quality wine region. We see a lot of the South Australia stuff, the Barossa, the McLaren Vale, etc., but places like Margaret River are making exceptional wines. Wonder if there's a cooler current running up the western coast of Australia?
In any case, I agree on the alcohol. So much better for the sake of pairing with food.
Joe,
Wonder if there's a cooler current running up the western coast of Australia?
I'm not an expert on the currents, but this is a particularly crazy little area when it comes to the ocean. There's a cold West Australian current that comes up north from Antarctica. But then there's a hot current running south along the west coast of Australia called the Leeuwin Current. However, right by the southwest tip of the continent, where these wines are made, is a tiny cold current running north right by the land called the Capes Current.
Cheers,
Benito
thanks for doing the research, Benito. I was both feeling lazy and offering a leading question to let you show off your aquatic thermal current chops.
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