My favorite Rhone producer Chapoutier expanded in Australia several years ago with their US importer Tony Terlato, and I had tried this wine once in an earlier vintage. I found it to be quite enjoyable then, and very similar to my favorite Aussie, the D'Arenberg Laughing Magpie. However, the 2006 Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz-Viogner was somewhat disappointing. The wine did not offer anything reminiscent of the Cote Roties the blend is styled after, and instead definitely came off more like some of the over-extracted Aussie fruit bombs that have come out.
On the second night the wine seemed to have settled a bit. The heat wasn't as noticeable, and the wine had definitely mellowed. However, it still was not at the level of the Magpie, to say nothing of having the more elegant profile of a Northern Rhone. It may have been enough to convince me to try another bottle and give it a little time, but we'll see.
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