Austro-Aussie Shyrazh: Salomon Estate Finniss River Shiraz 2008, Fleurieu Peninsula SA

Today’s wine was made by one of the most famous viniculturalist from Krems in Austria: Bertold Salomon from Salomon Undhof Winery. The Australian subsidiary Salomon Estate was established in 1995 on Fleurieu Peninsula approx. 50 kilometres south of Adelaide. The grapes for this Shiraz were cultivated on gavel and orange-red sandstone soil on Finniss River, a relatively low altitude part of Fleurieu Peninsula.

Its colour was dark red and damn fleshy. Like a glass full of fresh bulls blood. Pretty densely viscoelastic as well. The bouquet showed marvellously fat dark-red cherries with a certain hint of indefinable elegance. Besides that I got scents of mildly boiled fruit (mainly plums), mushrooms, slight oak, some banana-split-chocolate-ice cream, here and there some black olives and a mixture of liquorice x rubber. After three to four hours some scents of raspberry liquor and more boiled fruit developed. A very fruitful, but seemingly very dry nose! The Finniss River's taste was very gripping and powerful right from the start. Sweet dark cherries, expressive dark plums, hints of cinnamon, some slightly wet ground feelings, surly some choco and hints of maraschino cherries preformed some big entertainment that evening. Later the raspberry liquor influence took the stage once more. The concentration and density was more than just very contenting. The finish lasted quite a while, too. The still present tannins and the lively acid provided this Shiraz with a pleasant robustness and diffuse freshness as well as some "old world style" elegance. It wasn’t a pure powerhouse without profound routes. It got deep routes, style and big fat muscles. Elegance was the big advantage of Salomon’s Shiraz. Unlike the bulk of Aussie Shiraz wines this one got some southern French aristocracy in its structure as well. I guess a very nice and fertile combination of (stereotypical) old and new world features. Unfortunately not a very reasonably priced wine. Well the Alltus, Salomon’s first growth Shiraz, is by far more expensive and just equally satisfying! So, whatever: Refill, please!