Print this Wine         1998 Carlei "Green Vineyards" Forties Old Block Shiraz   HEATHCOTE                 January Release   Shiraz       Shiraz had always been one of Sergio Carlei’s favourite varieties and the Heathcote area in central Victoria has consistently provided some of the best fruit anywhere in the country. Here Sergio’s Italian background possibly helped, as he was able to negotiate with an elderly farmer who settled here after the Second World War and planted grapes. This vineyard, now named the “Forties Old Block” is grown organically and produces super low yields of fruit with amazing concentration. The age of the vines helps to ameliorate some of the climatic variations that do occur every single year. The vintage of 1998 was pretty good to great in almost every Australian region and all it means for older vines is that they produce even better fruit. This is very dark with a mix of red, purple and blue. The color extends all the way to the rim showing no signs of any age. The bouquet is a sheer joy. The fruit is totally dominant with layers of spicy and sweet plums with raspberries and mulberries also there. There is another array of flavors with mushrooms and minerals which no doubt are part of the Heathcote regional influence, with its very old pre-Cambrian soil that is high in iron and very crumbly. Behind this is some detectable oak characters but this is very much part of the background. Almost exploding in the mouth this wine has immense power and immediately fills the palate with flavor. The fruit and the more rustic characters all work superbly together and you are compelled to taste and re-taste the wine, as it seems to change flavors in the mouth. The texture is also very important and again it shows the legacy of the old vines. It is very thick and rich. The wine has incredible length at the finish. There is great structure with both acid and tannin being most evident. The lively tingle of the acid helps keep the fruit fresh at the moment but the wine will age well as the tannin will act as a wonderful preservative. Wines from this area can age particularly well. I would estimate this wine would reach its peak in about 10 years and stay there for at least another 5. This is a big red meat sort of wine. Select a steak cut that has plenty of flavors, not necessarily the more tender pieces. Here a T-bone or rump would be just about right. The sauce could be a rich reduction based sauce perhaps with a few mushrooms in there or it could be a simple horseradish paste with plenty of fire. Either will work well with the steak and the spicy nature of the wine.

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