This was one of those wines that was alluring from the beginning. Before I even poured a glass, the aroma was very enticing. Once it was in the glass, the nose was very strong, with hints of currant and spice, much as would be expected from a shiraz from the McLaren Vale area of Australia.
On the palate, it is a little surprising; the flavor is quite intense, although it is not as full bodied as might be expected for a wine of 14.5% abv. Flavors of both red and black berries dominate, with only a hint of spice.
But while the first sip is quite nice, it is spoiled by both high acidity and a lack of complexity. While the 2006 version had a great amount of depth, the 2007 is more of a one dimensional wine; nice in flavor, but too simple to be exciting. And the higher than expected acidity makes it more of a food wine than a cocktail sipper, although aeration helped to calm that aspect a bit. With a nice steak, or perhaps even a pot-roast, the acidity would be a welcome change from the typical Aussie shiraz, drinking it on its own it comes across a little tart.
Overall, drinkable and enjoyable, but not a wine that I would consider worth the $20 price point, although it's still a step up from what you would expect to find in the $10-13 range. This is in contrast to the 2006 vintage, which was wonderful with deep complexity. If you can get your hands on the 2006, snap it up. And if you're looking for a nice wine to have with a steak off the grill, consider the 2007. But otherwise, give this one a pass and try a different shiraz.
Not recommended, unless you can get it on sale, or need a shiraz with higher acidity to go with a steak or other rich dish.
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