Print this Wine         1997 Hewitson "L'Oizeau" Shiraz   MCLAREN VALE                 January Release   Shiraz       This is very exciting wine. Old vine Shiraz is rare and precious. It needs to be handled with care. Too many winemakers over work the fruit and put the wine in all new barrels. The net effect is certainly great wines, but wines that need at least 10 years in the cellar before they achieve a balance between all the components. With a slightly more delicate touch Dean Hewitson has produced a wine with all the intensity of old vine Shiraz, but it is approachable and enjoyable whilst it is youthful. Plenty of different characters on the bouquet all seem to share the spotlight. There is perfumed raspberry and plum fruit. Spicy notes such as vanilla, licorice and nutmeg. In addition there is a flavor usually seen in wines from the Rhone Valley, not Australia and this is bacon fat. A hint of oak adds to the brew. All in all this wine has complexity and intensity. The palate even exceeds the bouquet because the concentration of the fruit flavor turns the wine into an exceedingly luscious and juicy drink. It is still very young and there is ample tannin at the finish but the wine is superb to drink right now. There is plenty of crisp acid in this wine which accentuates the freshness of the fruit characters. The intensity of the fruit will not remain this high so drink a few bottles now to enjoy the fruit and hold onto a few more to open at least 8 years down the track and the wine will develop into a mellow and rich wine with smooth texture and a soft finish. Open up a bottle now, give it a vigorous decanting. In a hours time place a succulent aged rib-eye steak on a hot barbecue. Cook it to your preference but keep it at least a bit juicy and serve with a dash of piquancy from either horseradish or mustard. With this wine I could not think of anything to surpass this combination.

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