Wine Tip: Hollick 2003 Wrattonbully Shiraz
After my third bottle of this over a few months, this is a dead set bloody winner. It’s not cheap, it’s not expensive (probably about $28 if you can find it), it’s just really, really, really good. I seldom mention wines on the old blog, but this is now my undivided favourite red.
Wrattonbully is a region not far from Coonawarra in South Australia. No I can’t think of anyone else with a winery there. In fact this is their first vintage (2003). Unlike a lot of Aussie red wines out there at the moment, it’s not about overripe fruit. Nor is it about alcohol content or ball tearing tannings (a la McLaren Vale Grenache blends and there’s NOTHING wrong with that!). It’s actually the balance of this wine that makes it so good. The acidity is as close to perfect as i’ve found in any wine. The fruit doesn’t dominate and is just right, and it’s beautifully savory on the palette. Very mellow, not too complex and oh so drinkable. Hollick describe it as elegant, i’m inclined to agree. It’s what a drinkable Aussie red should be.
Don’t know about their passion fruit skins on the palette that Hollick describe though. A bit too high falutin for me . . .
Food wise, the Wrattonbully would work with anything from a pasta to a good old fashioned rosemary and thyme lamb roast. Or for that matter cheese, more wine and shit talking. That I can certainly vouch for.
This one can’t be missed if you’re a Coonawarra red lover. Look for the navy blue wrapping over the cork. I got this as a mixed dozen from the winery. In closing, a few people i’ve spoken to have had mixed emotions about Hollick. All I can say is that the quality is all there and everything i’ve tried is dead set impressive.
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Posted: July 16th, 2007 under Wine.
Tags: australian shiraz, australian wine, wine reviews
