- Heathcote, VIC - $13-$24
- Screwcap
- 14.0%alc
Rufus Stone is the brand name given to Tyrrell's single region reds which are sourced from outside their traditional Hunter Valley home. The brand typically provides faithful regional expressions in a generously flavoured and approachable style, but in better years the shiraz wines can really over deliver on price (especially as they're often discounted to under $15).
Brightly coloured with a vivid red hue, the 2008 Heathcote Shiraz opens to an arrestingly regional, clear whiff of white pepper underlined by sweetly fruited dark plum and raspberry aromas with lightly toasted notes of cedar and mocha oak playing a secondary role. Its barely medium-bodied palate possesses the mouth-coating, long prickly spice characters that so define classic central Victorian shiraz, underneath which resides some evenly ripened sweet red berry and cedar tones. There's fluid movement and development to its well composed palate, which contains enough structure from a firm, tannic backbone to suggest it'll flesh out nicely over time.
ü+ Fine, sweetly fruited yet spicy, structured, long and truly regional; this is what I call a quaffing shiraz price wise, that's a downright proper shiraz style wise. Drink to 2016.
91 points
Love this wine if for nothing else that it's one of the few Heathcote shiraz that you can get at a quaffing price!
ReplyDeleteGood call Mr Plummer, agree totally.
ReplyDeleteCheers guys,
ReplyDeleteIt impressed Beck and I so much that we nearly picked up another bottle to take to a friend's place tonight, but then I recalled this friend only has plastic glasses, and I believe the 2008 Heathcote deserves better than that! ;)
So, Grand Ridge Yarra Valley Golden Ale it is then....
Brilliant wine. I had it last night for the first time.
ReplyDeleteHad this wine at Rebublik in Bali and it was stunning. Great to see it on the Wine list a steal at $60.00
ReplyDelete