Devonport has a few ‘cool places’ that have popped up in recent times, and our Tasting Group ventured over to take in a couple for a night of “Aged Syrah-Shiraz” – taking our precious cargo of bottles to the Vic Road Kitchen – a bistro on the main road up from the Ferry Wharf. The cute Vic Road Wine Bar & Cellar is just two doors down for pre-dinner drinks and the bistro is a bit of a beacon for good food on the Shore. I’d include the likes of Stanley Avenue Bistro, 21 Days, Tokki and Ichigo Ichie on a short list of good places to eat around here, but definitely add VRK to that collection.
Our evening involved red wines only, so the collection of steak cuts – including Aura Wagyu beef – caught the eye, but knowing that they make their own pasta here (and bread – the focaccia is excellent) sold me on a dish of casarecce with a slow-cooked bolognaise sauce. The steaks looked and tasted phenomenal, and some of the ‘sides’ and smaller plates were show-stoppers – a salt-baked celeriac, parmesan-truffle fries, and the wagyu carpaccio… I could go on. And you can order a cheeseboard with a wedge of something like roquefort that just tips the end of the night into sheer bliss.
Onto the wines – we had four New Zealand Syrah, followed by three Aussie Shiraz and a final french Syrah from the Rhône Valley. To kick things off there was a Providence Syrah. Now, this wine popped up at the last Syrah night we had. I had this to say about it then… “The Providence ‘Kuwata Vintage’ Syrah 2010 is a special vintage where an iconic Japanese baseball player came to assist in the vintage and has the labels named after him. Again, I find myself disappointed with these old world, dusty, dry reds that lack zip and vitality. At over $200 a bottle, I just wonder who this stuff is for? Not my cup of tea”. I see no reason to change much in my opinion since that other tasting a year ago – except that this bottle was maybe slightly better – a bit brighter fruit and some good tannin. I’d be decanting this and looking at it the next day given the chance.
Moving on – the next bottle was much more my taste. Dry River Syrah 2010 is an under-rated wine from this Martinborough producer. Good Martinborough Syrah is well working seeking out. A few of the best labels do one – think Ata Rangi, Schubert, Kusuda and Martinborough Vineyards. A lovely floral violet character on the nose, with cherry, boysenberry, blackcurrant and a distinctive note of freshly ground espresso beans. Nicely-weighted through the palate, with a balance of fine-grained tannin and gentle acidity. Very good.
However, the third bottle took us to another level. Often touted as the best Syrah from New Zealand – Bilancia La Collina 2002 was exceptional. In February last year I gave this wine a 97/100 score and had this to say about it… “The nose is perfumed with redcurrant, yellow plum, rosehip, acacia and blueberry and has a distinctive floral lift of violet and buddleia. Tannins and acidity are restrained, poised, balanced. It’s a straightforward kind of wine, with a delicate beauty, but also a confidence and fluidity – escaping any need for tighter structure or extraction. The balance also shows deeper into the palate – with savoury notes playing opposite sweeter ones. Black olives, pepper, crab apple jelly, mocha. Sensual and harmonic, with a mesmerising effect as the finish swoops through – dry, long and pure”. What can I say – this bottle was just as good. When you get one as fabulous as this, it does give you great belief in New Zealand wines. I have to say that not every bottle of La Collina I’ve tried has been quite as good as this though… but those 2002s. Wow.
The last of our New Zealand wines is a Passage Rock Magnus 2010 – not strictly a Syrah, as it is a blend which also includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. There’s an incredibly ripe and generous nature to this wine – cassis, liquorice, damson plum, tapenade, but what strikes me most is the youthfulness. For a big wine, with 13 years in bottle, this has a coltish bounce that you would swear was three years old, not thirteen. It has a long life ahead. Is it a little sweet once you take a couple of sips, the ripeness stepping over a line? Still, a real winter warmer – one for the fireside.
Moving on to our Australian collection, with a pair of Penfolds wine up first. You used to be able to say that Penfolds do four ranges – their Single-vineyard wines (Magill Estate Shiraz, Kalimna Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon), single-region wines (Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz, RWT Barossa Shiraz) and multi-regional blends (Grange, Bin 707).
The Penfolds 150 Marananga Shiraz 2010 comes from Marananga in the Barossa Valley, and shows a fourth approach – a sub-regional expression. Savoury salami, peppercorn, tobacco and meaty notes sit alongside a dark plum and mulberry fruit. Cacao nib and root beer notes add sweetness and roundness. A core of graphite tannin and spicy oak give a well-balanced line through the palate. Some weight and density here – with a persistent finish.
Matched against this is Penfolds RWT Shiraz 2003 – a single-region Barossa Valley wine. The initials RWT stand for ‘Red Winemaking Trial’, the name given to the project internally when developmental work began in 1995. Specifically matured in French oak barriques as a contrast to Grange which uses American oak. The perfume on this one is brightly aromatic – lifted with lavender, violet and herbs, then savoury soy, black pepper and charred wood. A sweetness to the palate – quite unctuous and with plush, fleshy fruit. The tannin less obvious than the 150 expression, but the palate has a touch more grip. Both of these are very nice drinking – the RWT would get maybe one point higher scores – very classy.
Rounding out our trio of iconic Barossa Shiraz – but this time NOT a 2010 (someone didn’t get the memo) is a wine that was always known for its big, oaky character – Yalumba The Octavius Shiraz 1999. Now, to me, this is a wine of it’s time. Robert Parker Jnr was the big critical influence on wines like this (and gave it 96pts on release), and the ‘bigger-is-better’ end of the last century mantra is written all over this wine. No shrinking violet, it revels in the bold, tar/oak character with an inky intensity to the fruit. A dark purple in the glass, with rich, slightly jammy blackberry and plum notes. A smoky, spicy finish. It is what it is!
The last Syrah of the night takes us to the Rhône Valley in France – Tardieu-Laurent Hermitage 2003. Now, I am often a fan of Hermitage, but tonight this didn’t get a vote of confidence. Not sure if our palates were fatigued by the largesse of the previous wines, but this seemed ‘off’ somehow. A bit raisin-y and tired. I won’t go on. A disappointment, but the night was obviously overall a huge success. This is how to enjoy fine wines – it has to have three elements.. Food, friends and then the wine, around a table. We’ll be back to this super venue again this year no doubt, and I’ll report back then.
