~$22US 100% Petit Verdot, South Australia, Australia

Purchased “for educational purposes”; I rarely see single-variety Petit Verdot, especially from South Australia, so this was really a curiosity. Great deep red, garnet color. Opaque. The nose was interesting - my initial reaction was Shiraz-like, big, with spices and lush red and black fruits. Some veggy notes also - sugar-snap peas, and tomatoes. Then the oak-beastie busted in…and made it’s presence known. With a little air, the oak played out via vanilla and butterscotch notes, growing equal to the fruits. Berry-fruit trifle with butterscotch custard. The palate showed that this indeed is a big wine - not a fruit bomb, but a sturdy, fruity, oaky, tannic sweet-and-sour bomb. The components, including a welcomed acidity, were held in fairly good balance and integration. Leather, Spanish cedar, blueberry and black cherry flavors abounded. Only the finish was a little awkward, with juicy fruit notes at odds with aggressive mouth-drying tannins. I like this wine - while the oak was probably a bit over-the-top, it all came together tasting delicious.

A well-crafted wine that showed Petit Verdot’s strengths in a big way, without revealing the deficiencies.

Retasted on day 2 (Vac-u-vinned)
Deliciousness greatly reduced. Only over-oakiness remained, with massive butterscotch and a hint of cherry. Disjointed.

~$40US 100% Shiraz, Mclaren Vale Australia

This is the upper-tier Shiraz by Marquis Philips. It was deep deep purple - almost black in the glass. Super-intense nose of black fruits, some licorice and basil, and a huge cloud of alcohol. The intensity and juiciness of the nose makes this wine pretty attractive. Huge amounts of concentrated blackberry fruits and grape jam, then some mocha and dark chocolate. This much fruit is tough to keep in balance; the soft tannins and the alcoholic bite tried, but could not stand up to the fruit. Finished more like a fine spirit - an aged rum or tequila than a wine. I am not sure what this would be like in 10-15 years, or after 5-8 hours in the decanter - but hopefully some of the alcohol would blow off and the fruit soften and round out. This is hard to recommend when the MP Sarah’s Blend or the Mollydooker Shiraz’s can be had at less than half the price and offer a very similar experience, overall.

Well-made, but an untamed, wild wine, massive in all respects.