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06/28/2001 Archived Entry: "Wine Buy: Barossa Vines Shiraz"

It was love at first sip. But then robust red wines are my “type” and Grant Burge Barossa Vines Shiraz 1999, from the Barossa region of southern Australia, is a particularly sensual, easily lovable big red. It’s not an aggressive wine. It won’t, as Californians like to say, (I hate this expression) “knock your socks off.” It has elegance as well as boldness. In fact, you might say, to take this anthropomorphic description to the hilt, that it is a masculine wine in touch with its feminine side. It has deep, deep ruby color, easily detected red berry flavors and a sort of spiciness in both the seductive bouquet and first taste impression, generous, forward flavors and aromas and a rich mouthfeel, backed up with good acidity and a haunting “finish,” wine jargon for the flavors and impressions that linger on the palate and in the nasel passages. And this one does linger. It is upfront, while it also takes its time revealing its complexity.

Grant Burge is the winemaker, in small letters on the label. Barossa Vines is the name of his winery, in the largest type on the label. Shiraz is the grape variety, the same as sirah (or syrah), which is the main variety grown in the Rhone Valley of France (responsible for Hermitage, for example), and a variety with new popularity in California.. Australia, however, has emerged as the place, after the Rhone, where the Shiraz grape expresses itself in wine extremely well. The discovery of which grapes will do best in which climate and soil don’t happen overnight. The Burge family has been growing grapes and making wine in Australia since 1855.

The wine should cost about $13.99 a bottle, which may not be inexpensive, but is an excellent buy for a wine of this stature.