Print this Wine         1998 Bannockburn Shiraz   GEELONG                 January Release   Shiraz       First of all this is a very rare and very special wine. There will never be another one like it so purely from this perspective it is a guaranteed collectors item. The vineyards at Bannockburn were almost totally decimated by a freak hail storm a few months prior to the expected harvest date. Crop levels were down to around 10 per cent of the average crop, and let me assure you these vineyards are low cropping every year. Winemaker Gary Farr was in a state of shock until a plan was devised to purchase small lots of a few tonnes each from a variety of grape growers around the country. In the end the so called "bush telegraph" was in full flight and Gary had to turn down some offers of fruit, as he wanted to ensure that the three wines he made (there is a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir as well) were the equal to his usual lofty standard. This wine varies quite dramatically from the normal Bannockburn Shiraz. Typically the grapes are picked late in the harvest with the ever present risk of an early start to winter or a significant rainfall. Most years Gary is able to harvest a small batch of premium grapes, but it certainly is less consistent than his Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, because of his cool climate. Taking fruit from many of our most illustrious Shiraz growers showed Gary just how well the variety adapts to most of the grape regions and is truly the great Australian grape variety. Firstly look at the color. Big dark and inky. Purple turns to black in the middle and stays very much purple at the rim of the glass. This appearance certainly promises plenty to come. The bouquet is simply breathtaking. The intensity and variety of fruit characters is hard to comprehend, particularly in such a young wine. Whilst the greatest wines of the world have been and will continue to be drawn from individual vineyards it is amazing to see how instant complexity can be derived from the deployment of a range of vineyards. There is some cool flavors like pepper over savoury herbal notes. There is sweet fruity flavors such as raspberry, cherry and plum. And there are also some leather and tar from some of the warm climate fruit. There is a little oak but the fruit is almost explosive. The palate delivers these fruits in a chewy layered package. You could almost eat the wine. The finish has some firm tannins and a high level of acidity. The wine will age for a medium length of time, say up to 6 years, although I don’t think it will get much better than how it drinks at the moment. Keep it simple with the food match. Open up a bottle as an excuse to find the thickest, juiciest steak you can find. Don’t overcook it and serve it with a smear of hot mustard or horseradish. Simply wonderful.         How do I download Hi-Res Labels?

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