The big guns didn’t just lose, they were disgraced
In the foreword to the report on the results, Editor Peter Simic tells us that this is the eighth annual challenge, and that ‘we have also purchased top iconic wines normally not entered into any competitions, giving a fascinating “too hot to handle” head-to-head competition.’ That’s a pretty clunky sentence for a publisher of Peter’s experience, but a what great idea!
Indeed, near the end of the 20 pages of reviews we find Grange and Hill of Grace sitting in a corner like two school boys who’ve misbehaved in class. It’s the class of Shiraz and blends $200 +, with a couple of fancied Guigal Cote-Roties keeping them company. IMHO 3 stars out of 5 is a disgrace for wines that carry price tags in the $600 – $800 range. The class winner is Exile Barossa Valley Shiraz 2008 at $220.
Category Winners
First overall in the Great Shiraz Challenge was Grant Burge’s $30 Filsell 2010, which I wrote about almost 2 months ago when the results were first announced. Not long after that, I found it on sale for you at WineOnline for just over $25. It’s all gone now.
$10 – $15 – Brookland Valley Verse 1 Shiraz 2012 – I’ve been raving about the 2011 for months, and it’s just about gone now, so thank heavens the 2012 is in the same class. This range is often discounted down to less than $10. Best price I can find for the 2012 is $11.40 at 1st Choice. The best price for the 2011 is $12 at OurCellar.
$15 – 20 – Taylors Shiraz 2010, still at Jim’s Cellars for $13
Don’t know this wine, tends to be a fruit bomb
$20 – $25 – Sanguine Estate Progeny Heathcote Shiraz 2012
Don’t know this one either, but you can get it for $20 at Cloudwine or WineSelectors
$25 – $30 – Tenafeate Creek One tree Hill Basket Press Shiraz 2010
Pretty small boutique wine, the only place you can buy this is from the winery ($25)
From here on in, I tend to lose interest but just for completeness’ sake here are the rest:
$30 – $35 – The Gate by Shingleback McLaren Vale Shiraz 2010
$35 – $50 – Grant Burge Filsell Shiraz 2010
$50 – $75 – Fox Creek Reserve McLaren Vale Shiraz 2011
$75 – $100 – Craggy Range Le Sol Hawkes Bay Syrah 2011
$100 – $200 – Peter Lehmann Stonewell Barossa Shiraz 2009
$200+ – Exile Barossa Valley Shiraz 2008
That’s it for now
Kim