WBW - Sparklings
(Writing this post assures me that I need far more practice at writing reviews - and that I need to keep notes as I taste! It's very brief, but if I don't post it now, it won't be up in time to be included.)
When we visited the Barossa some (5?) years ago, our favourite winery was definitely St Hallet's. We loved every wine we tried.
We love Sparkling Shiraz.
They had a Sparkling Shiraz. We were unable to try it because it sells out so promptly upon release.
Two and a half years ago, when our son was born, we were given a bottle of St Hallett's The Black NV by a very thoughtful (and knowledgeable) friend.
This month, Wine Blogging Wednesday (which I have intended to do for years) was sparklings...
We really shouldn't keep wine for too long, our cellaring conditions are far from ideal!
The time had arrived!
We had planned a roast beef dinner. Nothing fancy, just meat (with some garlic and black pepper), carrots, potato, onion and parsnip, roasted in a tray. We also served green beans.
We ended up serving it with guests, a friend who was having a birthday, another who is an old friend nearby, and another friend of hers we have been hearing about for fourteen years but have only just met.
So, the wine. For once, we managed to think about it early enough to ensure it was chilled.
It's colour is beautiful (sadly, we forgot to take a photo), a rich red. A very fine mousse that didn't come close to overflowing the glass, just a light layer on the top of the wine.
On first taste, you are left in little doubt that this is a shiraz, the pepper is very up front while not being overpowering. It has lovely soft bubbles. Sadly, I suspect that it would have been better drunk sooner. It's good, but it's not as stand out as I was expecting. I would definitely drink it again though, although I would try to drink it sooner.
Tasting notes from St Hallet's. (We didn't actually read these until I was posting this. We may well have served it differently:-) )
Vintage
NV
Grape Variety
Shiraz
Colour
Deep intensity, dark ruby purple with plum red tints.
Bouquet
Layers of dark chocolate, sweet nutmeg spice lifted by soft pepper, liquorice, coffee, and dark chocolate, smoky toast aromas, and developed aromas of leather and cigar box.
Palate
Complex mix of spice, coffee and rich chocolates, mixed with smoky flavours from the oak. Fine grained tannins add a smooth velvety texture and weight to the palate. The wine finishes with a lingering flavour of sweet white chocolate, complemented by vanilla and mocha.
Serving suggestion
Serve chilled on it's own or as the grand finale to a special dinner, served with chocolate pudding.
Cellering
Drink now or cellar for further complexity.
When we visited the Barossa some (5?) years ago, our favourite winery was definitely St Hallet's. We loved every wine we tried.
We love Sparkling Shiraz.
They had a Sparkling Shiraz. We were unable to try it because it sells out so promptly upon release.
Two and a half years ago, when our son was born, we were given a bottle of St Hallett's The Black NV by a very thoughtful (and knowledgeable) friend.
This month, Wine Blogging Wednesday (which I have intended to do for years) was sparklings...
We really shouldn't keep wine for too long, our cellaring conditions are far from ideal!
The time had arrived!
We had planned a roast beef dinner. Nothing fancy, just meat (with some garlic and black pepper), carrots, potato, onion and parsnip, roasted in a tray. We also served green beans.
We ended up serving it with guests, a friend who was having a birthday, another who is an old friend nearby, and another friend of hers we have been hearing about for fourteen years but have only just met.
So, the wine. For once, we managed to think about it early enough to ensure it was chilled.
It's colour is beautiful (sadly, we forgot to take a photo), a rich red. A very fine mousse that didn't come close to overflowing the glass, just a light layer on the top of the wine.
On first taste, you are left in little doubt that this is a shiraz, the pepper is very up front while not being overpowering. It has lovely soft bubbles. Sadly, I suspect that it would have been better drunk sooner. It's good, but it's not as stand out as I was expecting. I would definitely drink it again though, although I would try to drink it sooner.
Tasting notes from St Hallet's. (We didn't actually read these until I was posting this. We may well have served it differently:-) )
Vintage
NV
Grape Variety
Shiraz
Colour
Deep intensity, dark ruby purple with plum red tints.
Bouquet
Layers of dark chocolate, sweet nutmeg spice lifted by soft pepper, liquorice, coffee, and dark chocolate, smoky toast aromas, and developed aromas of leather and cigar box.
Palate
Complex mix of spice, coffee and rich chocolates, mixed with smoky flavours from the oak. Fine grained tannins add a smooth velvety texture and weight to the palate. The wine finishes with a lingering flavour of sweet white chocolate, complemented by vanilla and mocha.
Serving suggestion
Serve chilled on it's own or as the grand finale to a special dinner, served with chocolate pudding.
Cellering
Drink now or cellar for further complexity.
1 Comments:
Thanks for participating in this month's WBW! It's always fun to read the stories that go with people's choices - especially when there is some significance to them!
I hope to "see" you at future events!
Happy Holidays
~ B
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