Print this Wine         1998 Brokenwood Shiraz   MCLAREN VALE/HUNTER VALLEY/KING VALLEY                 January Release   Shiraz       Ever the master blender Iain Riggs has always searched around the country in order to find fruit to complement his fine base wine at his Hunter Valley base. There is a finite amount of premium vineyard sites in the Hunter Valley and rather than purchase inferior fruit for the sake of regional purity, Iain will bring in fruit to make a better wine. This vintage is one of his best efforts, without any question. The major component for this wine is actually from the McLaren Vale. The vintage of 1998 was certainly one of the finest throughout South Australia and here a supreme selection of the finest Shiraz available has formed the backbone of this blend. The other regions completing this wonderful wine are Cowra in central New South Wales and the King Valley in Northern Victoria. This bouquet has a rich mixture of fruit and nuts. The fruit is primarily plums, and stewed plums at that. The nuts are roasted cashews and chestnuts. In addition there is a spicy overlay with cinnamon and nutmeg, along with a little cracked pepper component just for good measure. This is quite a complex little wine, but with four regions all producing top quality fruit there is no shortage of perfume. The more air the wine gets as you swirl around the glass the more stewed the plums become but this swirling also releases other nuances such as an earthy mineral component. The oak was hardly noticeable on the nose because of the prominence of the fruit flavors, but here on the palate it plays a more important role. There is plenty going on at the finish. Good mouth-puckering tannin along with heaps of tingling acid place this wine in the ‘will age well’ category. Probably the wine will develop and the tannins soften in around 5 years. It is a pity it seems to wait however as the fruit will never be as intense as it is right now and the tannin, whilst noticeable, is not strong and bitter enough to stop you from enjoying the wine. If you can’t wait and find yourself drinking the wine sooner rather than later look towards spicy stir fried meat dishes with plum sauce and noodles. Alternatively Osso Bucco or Veal Shanks with a rich braise will help soften the tannin and allow you to enjoy the fruit.

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