Nick O’Leary Shiraz 2008 (Canberra District)
$28, Screwcap, 13.5%

Winner of 4 gold medals now and with a 96/100 in the Oct/Nov Gourmet Traveller Wine. Quite an achievement for a new name on the block. I drank this over dinner and can confirm the drinkability quotient is very high, as is the value on offer.

Ruby red in colour with just a smidgin of purple, this smells authentically Canberran, in the Clonakilla/Collector/Kyeema vein – Musk, scorched red fruit, cranberry and peppery spice & Cherry Ripe, with fruit to the fore and no oak in sight. It’s definitely in the red fruit end of the spectrum, but avoids the heavy overripeness of similar wines. Palate is silken in texture, with a peppery, slightly stalky expression of mid weight Canberra Shiraz, all wrapped in fine tannins and a whack of bacon fat on the finish. Nice lilt to the tannins too that has me thinking this has had some whole bunch action.

It’s a Shiraz built in a rather juicy and glossy, modern grapey style, but its so unforced and impeccably balanced, with proper subtle structure, that you just can’t argue with it. The second half of the bottle made its way home with us, and a glass poured of it this evening is going down just as well as it did last night, boding well for the future too.

Big buy from me. 18.2