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Hardy’s Tintara Shiraz
A Breathe of Sunshine from Down Under

I am thumbing through the nine-pages of reds being featured in today’s Vintages release. It’s minus 24° and I find myself yearning for a heart-warming glass of South Australia’s Tintara 1999 Shiraz coming out today at $22.95. It seems like ages ago that I was exploring Australia’s fabled wine regions. In fact, it was only just over a month ago. And talk about contrasts – it was a meltdown 42° in Adelaide, not exactly heavy red whether.

Winery visits are always enlightening. I had an opportunity to tour McLaren Vale’s Tintara estate. It was originally an 1850’s flourmill and was planted with red grapes in 1862. Thomas Hardy bought the property in 1878 and initially focused on highly sought after fortified wines. While the latter is no longer the driving engine of Australian wines (although Hardy Show Port is a stunningly delicious dessert wine), the winery still uses the traditional two ton basket presses, some of which are 85 years old, to crush the Shiraz. Some 2,000 tons of red grapes are put through these slower presses. This technique dates back to the Middle Ages and if used properly produces finer, fruitier wines without harsh tannins or excessive bitterness. 

A huge amount of premium wine is assembled at this facility using a staggering 15,000 French (70%) and American (30%) barrels. Some $3 million has been set aside for new barrel acquisition. American oak is kept for a maximum three years, French for four years.

Happily no refurbished oak is used at BRL Hardy! For those not familiar with this technique - what happens is that the used barrels are disassembled and the staves shaved and, in some cases, re-toasted and then reassembled. Unfortunately, all the refurbished barrels I have experienced have given the wine peppery, bitter, tannic notes - actually diminishing potential quality. Those resorting to this cost-saving measure are making a serious mistake.

I was intrigued to discover that by using open-top 7-ton wax-coated concrete fermenting tanks, “group red winemaker” Stephen Pannell was able “to blow off” up to 1.5% alcohol. “Basically, we don’t want wines with 15.5%,” says Pannell. Still at 13.9%, this 1999 Tintara Shiraz is no wimp. It comes with a deep intense purple colour and a gently earthy nose with complex, faintly spicy, freshly baked plum fruit. Rich, and mouthfilling, the cedar, ripe plum and dried red pepper purée flavours are followed up with a lingering, chocolaty finish. Some 15 months of barrel aging has endowed it with just the right amount of toastiness.

Pannell’s extensive winemaking team (in the case of Tintara winemakers Simon White and Robert Mann) also produces some 2,500 cases of a richer, more highly structured, chocolate-black cherry flavoured Tintara Shiraz Reserve, which fetches approximately $40. During a series of tastings, I also learned that these wines are not “estate” in the sense that the grapes come from the same vineyards year after year. Indeed, there may well be significant changes to the Shiraz components used reflecting the climate, availability and/or direction the winemaker wishes to pursue.

Contrary to popular belief, it is often more difficult to make a fine red in a hot year – 2001 was one of the hottest on record with very sizable crops. Of course, the word “hot” is relative - we are not talking about cool climate growing conditions. By contrast, temperatures in 2002 were the coolest in 100 years, which is one of the reasons why many of the Australian whites are so fresh, vibrant and successful. One of the most impressive, inexpensive whites I tasted was the delicious and inexpensive Houghton 2002 White Burgundy.

Moving on to another Hardy-owned South Australia property, Barossa Valley Estate 1999 Ebenezer Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot, is also being released today at $29.90. This still very youthful blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot has a rather herbal, eucalyptus-inflected, ripe stewed plum and blueberry nose. On the palate it’s fairly full bodied with well-structured, faintly herbal, cedary, ripe plum and chocolate flavours that would go well with a rare rib steak. Unlike the much more accessible Tintara 1999 Shiraz, this one clearly needs at least 2 - 3 years of additional aging.

For those looking for something to drink immediately, my best buy red would have to be the remarkably tasty Cave Spring Cellars 1999 Cabernet/Merlot at $18.95. Look for an expressive, somewhat cedary, bright, plummy, ripe cherry nose and harmonious, ripe plum purée, vanilla, chocolate and sweet black cherry flavours. I gave this Vintages November 16, 2002 repurchase a Gold Medal (91 points) at the 2002 Canadian Wine Awards. Dollar for dollar, it is the best Ontario red currently available at the LCBO.

Today’s other best buys come from Italy’s Veneto region. Of two Vintages “wines of the month”, Maculan 2000 Brentino Rosso Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon at $19.75 was the only one that impressed. With 1,200 cases in stock, there should be no reason to rush. Look for lots of ready to enjoy, bright, ripe black cherry (almost Zinny) fruit flavours with some cedary-sandalwood notes on the lingering, fruit-driven finish.

Another Veneto recommendation would be Bertani 2001 Catullo Rosso, a slightly less expensive, crowd-pleasing quaffer at only $15.90. This blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Corvina has bright, medium-light bodied, tangy, red cherry purée flavours with a crisp, refreshing finish.

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Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2004
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