Wine a Day

One of the great things about touring the wineries in most wine regions is discovering something different. Something special that will not be seen on the mainstream market. Sometimes you could get to taste barrel samples of an upcoming wine. Other times it could be a rare bottle the winemaker has dug up from the cellar. In my case in Australia recently I was lucky enough to have a few experiences like this.

There were a few wineries in the Rutherglen region where I had expected something a bit different. A tasting of an old vintage fortified at Stanton & Killeen. And there is always something out of the ordinary at R.L. Buller & Sons. When you drop in to a small winery that you only consider because it is on the way to another winery however, it makes a new discovery all the more special. I was lucky enough to decide to pop in to the Mount Prior Winery while I was in the Rutherglen region. I was quite impressed by many of their wines, however one in particular stood out from the list. A late picked Shiraz… I have tasted late picked Rieslings in a few countries. I have tried quite a few botrytis affected wines from various vineyards, however I have never seen a late picked Shiraz before. Although the other wines were very good, I couldn’t wait to get down to desert and fortified wines to have a try.

So this week’s Wine of the Week is the 2008 Mount Prior Late Picked Shiraz. The nose is a little less robust than a “normal” Australian Shiraz, but you do detect all the right berry and dried fruity smells. It has the rich berry flavors you would expect, but the sweetness is magnified and is quit refreshing, especially if you have been trying many huge Shiraz and Durif wines for the past few days. Then the flavor intensifies at the back of your pallet and you are left with a dry chocolaty taste. Because of this, I feel you will enjoy this wine with a dark chocolate, but as with many rich Australian Shiraz wines, mature or rich cheeses will also work well. At this time of the year when you are having big meals for Christmas, this wine will be the perfect finish.

The wine is not fortified, but due to the late picking of the grapes, it contains a lot of sweetness and 18% alcohol. The winery chose not to sell this wine through their usual distributors and, as you can see in the image, they used a “Vintage Port” label rather than printing new ones. Unlike many of the wines on this site, you are very unlikely to be able to buy this wine unless you are planning a trip to the winery. If you are in the area, I highly recommend you give this wine a try. I am sure you will be as surprised as I was. The winery itself has accommodation so it is great option if you are touring in the Rutherglen region