On the occasion of my 60th birthday we went to Turkey. (See links here, here, here and here.) We were knocked out by the country's beauty and the hospitality of the people. We also met David and Florence, a tremendously intelligent and interesting couple from Melbourne, Australia.
The usual perps with David and Florence. Ephesus
David and Florence visited New York last fall and we had a great time with them.
We had a great time this week, thanks to their giving us a bottle brought all the way from Harcourt, Victoria, in the Bendigo Geographical Indication, very close to Dave's hometown.
This summary from the OCW briefly characterizes the region:
[Bendigo is a] historic (see gold rushes), temperate Australian region notable for full-bodied but smooth red wines. Lack of water for irrigation (a potential problem with dry summers and periodic drought) limits expansion in an otherwise excellent region.
The wine they gave us was the Blackjack Vineyards Block 6 Shiraz (2003). 
It was very different from the stereotype of unsubtle fruit bombs, sweet on the finish, which has come to typify Australian reds in the past several years.
The Block 6 cru, which we drank with our steaks, was Rhone-like in its earthiness, with notes of tar, cherries and bramble-fruits, mint or eucalyptus, and a pleasingly "winey" scent that lingers in the empty bottle three days after opening. As the winery's own web site says, Block 6 is adjacent to our original shiraz plantings but produces quite
a different style of wine - more savoury than sweet, and aptly
described by some critics as being much more Rhone-like.
"Rhone-like" may encompass 14.5% alcohol, as is claimed on the label. The wine was big but didn't seem quite this powerful. It certainly was perfect with our various cuts of beef -- three for three people.
Further, fermentation took place in traditional open fermenters, with
hand-plunging of the cap ensuring complete but gentle extraction of
colour and flavour. The wine was matured in American oak barriques,
about 30 per cent new, for 22 months.
I'm not one of those who screams and yells about new American oak on principle. When it's handled well -- as it is here -- then I'm happy to drink the wine it kissed. This was a lovely bottle, and it makes me feel horrid for being beastly about Australian Shiraz. Live and learn. Teach this old dog new tricks, especially if you give him a wine treat like this.
Thanks, Florence and Dave. Hurry back to our fair city, please. Bring Blackjack.
Blackjack Vineyards wines are imported to the USA by Conquest Beverage of Houston.
I was unable to find a US price. The 2005 vintage sells for $35 Australian on the winery's web site.
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