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DECEMBER 18, 2006
By Robert Parker Big Wines From Adelaide's Small Players Some of Australia's finest wines are made from old grenache and shiraz vines in wine-growing areas such as the Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, and McLaren Vale that are clustered around Adelaide, South Australia's capital. It doesn't hurt that 2004 and especially 2005 might be the region's best vintages ever. These cuvées begin life as if they were European wines on steroids, but they become more elegant and balanced with age. The giant Penfolds (BW—Nov. 20) is based here, and so are some terrific boutique producers. D'Arenberg (McLaren Vale) Look for the inexpensive Stump Jump red and white blends, which cost about $10. The flagship shiraz, The Dead Arm, is a blockbuster red of enormous proportions and ageworthiness. The 2004 (95 points, $65) is the current release. Greenock Creek (Barossa Valley) It is difficult to find more thrilling, exhilarating grenache and shiraz than the single vineyard offerings from this low-key operation run by the shy and humble Michael and Annabelle Waugh. The 2003 Shiraz Creek Block (100 points, $150) is pure perfection and is even superior to the winery's $350 Roennfeldt cuvées. Kaesler (Barossa Valley) Shiraz Old Bastard is a fitting name for the Kaesler family's flagship cuvée—it is produced from a single vineyard planted in 1896. You should allow the 2004 vintage (95 points, $135) to get old itself, since it has the potential to age two or three decades. Other Kaesler shiraz bottlings run $27 to $65. Kalleske (Barossa Valley) A longtime grower recently turned winemaker and estate bottler, Troy Kalleske is one of the Barossa's up-and-comers. His 400-acre, family-owned estate is a name to follow. The 2005 Clarry's Red (89 points, $30), a blend of 80% grenache and 20% shiraz, is an Aussie take on a Côtes du Rhône. Its top wine, Shiraz Johan Georg Old Vine, comes from a 129-year-old vineyard named for the first Kalleske to emigrate to Australia. Kilikanoon (Barossa and Clare Valleys) Winemaker Kevin Mitchell turns out some of the cooler-climate Clare Valley's most exciting shiraz cuvées and the Barossa Valley's more robust offerings. The 2005 Shiraz Killerman's Run (92 points, $20) possesses terrific blackberry and cassis fruit and an opulent personality. In fact, all the Killerman's Run bottlings are great values. Rusden (Barossa Valley) Winemaker Christian Canute, just 28, is fashioning soulful, personality-filled wines that start at $20. His top-of-the-line bottle is the 2003 Shiraz Black Guts (96 points, $90). It's intense, with peppery, blackberry, and smoky traits, and an astonishing 50-second finish. Two Hands (Barossa Valley) Two Hands is a négociant—it buys from small producers, and bottles and blends its own wines. It has a bevy of old vine shiraz offerings, which run from the intense 2004 Shiraz Angel's Share (92 points, $30) to the spectacular 2004 Shiraz Ares (96 points, $150), which is good enough to keep for 20 to 30 years. Wines rated from 96-100 are extraordinary; 90-95, excellent; 80-89, above average to very good  Visit www.eRobertParker.com for the Internet's most active wine bulletin board, tens of thousands of tasting notes, or to order his recent book, The World's Greatest Wine Estates: A Modern Perspective. You can also subscribe to Parker's newsletter, The Wine Advocate. Request a sample copy at: The Wine Advocate, P.O. Box 311, Monkton, MD 21111.
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