DAN'S WINE BLOG- THIS WEEK'S WINE REVIEW

THIS WEEK’S WINE REVIEW:

?In the 1970s, as Australia transitioned from producing mainly fortified wines, to producing excellent table wines, most reds were labelled as either claret or burgundy and many winemakers tried to emulate the wines of Bordeaux. A number of them even called their wines “Bordeaux Blend” until the EU put a stop to us using other people’s wine names and GI’s.

?Anyhow, the story is that many, many winemakers around the world tried to copy Bordeaux reds. The Americans even officially named their Bordeaux blend as, “Meritage”, a name that is still being used. We lacked creativity so we shifted to calling the blend by its component varieties such as Cabernet/Merlot/Malbec, etc. It is only more recently that winemakers have started calling their “Bordeaux blends” by their own specific name.

?Today’s wine is an outstanding example of this. The Paracombe Wines Adelaide Hills “The Reuben” 2017 is the latest in a line of excellent Bordeaux style blends from this classy producer.

?What’s so great about it, well for starters the 2017 vintage of “The Reuben” has only just being released at 6-years-old (Grange is released at 4-years-old these days). It is a complex blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Shiraz, sort of like a Bordeaux blend with an Aussie twist – the Shiraz. It is actually illegal to grow Shiraz in Bordeaux.

?More importantly this is a magnificent, silky-smooth, almost sexy wine (Am I allowed to say that?). The bouquet is very complex with plums, dried herbs, mulberries, and a hint of forest floor with a splash of maturation characters added in. Outstanding!

?On the palate it is superb, rich, silky-smooth with great depth of flavour, in complex layers and an ever so elegant, satiny finish.

?Truly magnificent, raring to go now, yet will live for many years to come. Equally enjoyable on its own (with good friends) or with all but the spiciest of meat or vegetarian dishes.?Bloody Marvellous!!

?Check this beauty and the other superlative wines that Paracombe make, including their Pinot Blanc, Pecorino, Grüner Veltliner and sensational Cabernet Franc at their website (see link below).

?Winery Link:?www.paracombewines.com.au