DAN'S WINE BLOG- THIS WEEK'S WINE REVIEW
Dan Traucki MWCC
WINE ASSIST P/L Freelance Wine Journalist. Also facilitating the export of Australian Wines to the world.
I have been a big fan of Riverland wines ever since I worked up there during 2001-2004. While there I came to realise that apart from being “Australia’s export engine room” and producing mega-litres of commercial wine, there are a growing number of premium boutique wineries in the region which are producing some extraordinary wines – especially using emerging grape varieties (as I wrote in my article,?The River Rising,?WBM July/August 2021 – please refer to link below).
Today I am looking at a unique blend from one of the “younger” rising boutique Riverland wineries –?STARRS REACH VINEYARD.
STARRS REACH VINEYARD?has been owned and operated by the Mason Family since 2010. It is made up of three distinct vineyards which grow over 5000 tonnes of wine grapes from over 210 hectares of vineyard. In addition to the vineyards, the properties also produce almond and citrus crops. Rather large for a “boutique” winery one would say, but it is small parcels of their best grapes that are kept and made into their exciting wines, whilst the rest of the crop is sold to other wineries as grapes.
Their first releases were Grenache, both as an outstanding full-bodied wine and as a delightful Rosé. Recently they have added to their range by releasing the?STARRS REACH SINGLE VINEYARD RIVERLAND 2021 MATARO DURIF.?This is the first such blend that I have tasted and wonder why nobody else is making this fantastic blend. I have tasted a few different blends with Durif in them, such as the wonderful Morris Rutherglen Sparkling Shiraz Durif, but until now never a Mataro Durif blend. The two varieties work very well together to produce a delightful wine.
This wine has a medium depth of bright, attractive purple/red colour. A very appealing bouquet of cigar box cedar, ripe blackberries and a smidge of dark chocolate. The palate is sublime with lashings of blackcurrants, red berries and a smattering of cherries. It is silky-smooth, with a long, lingering, attractive finish.
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This is a delightful wine that is raring to go with food, or open the bottle and pour out a glassful a while before you plan to drink it, so that it can breathe a bit and show at its best.
A fabulous wine that helps to demonstrate why/how the Riverland is becoming one of Australia’s most exciting wine regions.
Cheers, have a great/safe week and please remember to?#chooseaustralianwine?and when possible try?#emergingvarieties.
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