Monday, April 21, 2008

2002 Elderton Shiraz

This was one from the cellar, pulled out for steak night (and what a steak it was, a dry aged strip purchased at Star Provisions). I've got a fair amount of Aussie Shiraz and have been a bit disappointed at how some of the low and mid-range ones have been aging, so I figured it was time to pull the cork on this one (note this was just the basic Elderton Shiraz, not the Command).

I was definitely pleased to find that this wine was certainly not over the hill, or really even fading, but seemed to be a peak performer. It did not seem to be carrying the heat or overripeness that so many new Aussie Shirazes now seem to possess. Instead, it still presented lots of dark fruit, but with a bit of class I'd expect from a mid to high-end Crozes-Hermitage. The body certainly was a great accompaniment to the steak, and made for a very pleasing meal. The bottle was finished the next night, and maintained a consistent profile from when it was opened, suggesting that there was still a bit of life left in it.

Overall, I was quite pleased with this one, and will definitely keep Elderton on my list of Aussie Shiraz in the $25-$30 price range. It showed the capability to put a few years of bottle age on quite nicely and really round into a fine bottle of wine.

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