For many years now wine lovers have realized that Australia is frequently a source for great bargains. Often times the wines from Australia that are good or great values are from the school of bold and brash wines. Shiraz is of course the Australian calling card when it comes to wine. They are often made in that bold style, especially in the value category. These are generally speaking wines that are made to be drunk early in their life. And make no mistake they can be increibly enjoyable. Variety is also something I treasure in my wines.
I'm happy to report that I just had a couple from Palandri that go against the tide. Both the 2002 Palandri Shiraz and 2002 Cabernet were made in a very graceful and age-worthy style. It's fairly incredible to find over 5 year old Australian wines available with a suggested retail around $12.00. They're both from the Margaret River area in Western Australia.
Both the Shiraz and the Cabernet have plenty of upfront fruit. Neither however are fruit bombs. They have a restrained elegance and an inherent earthiness that comes from being properly aged.
The Cabernet has soft fruit and some cherry notes on the mid palate. The finish which is a generous one features lots of mocha as well as earthiness and a little tobacco note at the very end. It's a very well balanced Cabernet and quite elegant for the price. This will pair well with a wide range of foods. In addition to grilled meat I found it went very well with dark chocolate.
The Shiraz has bolder and brighter fruit than the Cabernet. The mid palate has a little touch of candied apple on it that really hits the back of the mouth with a nice tingle and draws you back in for more of it. The finish has white pepper notes that linger on the tongue well after the wine has been swallowed.
Both of these wines are excellent values. With the holiday season upon us, these are wines to stock up on for a variety of reasons. They will pair incredibly well with your holiday meal and impress your guests with their elegance. For approximately $12 a bottle they are also perfect to keep around the house as gifts. Whether it's to bring to a party or as a stocking stuffer any wine lover will be glad to have a taste of these Palandri Wines. The fact that these are available now at these prices is an absolute boon for consumers. I urge snapping them up while you can.
Both wines are perfectly ready to drink now. However I suspect if stored properly they'll be delicious for a few more years.