Flaxman Wines Shiraz VP 2008 (Eden Valley, SA)
$20, Screwcap, 17.5%

Vintage Port, when done well, is such delicious stuff, it’s just a pity that it no longer has a defined spot in our drinking diet.

But things may well be on the turn, and with rather un-porty wines such as this vintage fortified Shiraz (note the EU friendly nomenclature), we may see a revival yet.

Certain much to like with this style. Positively purple in colour, this is a very youthful looking VP. Smells youthful too. Fresh, young & rock solid. Musky, with red fruit, blueberry & ripe plums. Quite pretty even. Lush, open, friendly, but with proper rich sweet, structured fruit. Warm vintages in South Australia really are perfect for wines like this.

Great start.

Palate follows with red fruited flavours carefully matched with alcohol sweetness. Showing rare balance for a fortified, with lightness & freshness, the alcohol only kicking in after everything has passed. Tannins are gritty with just a trace of raisined fruit on the back.

Very nice indeed.

In my mind I see this sort of wine as a drinking port. It has the structure to age, but perhaps not the ball breaking tannins and impact to really demand or warrant a long spell in the cellar. Instead, this is more closely aligned to a table wine than nearly any fortified in the country, allowing for it to be actually drunk with food.

Well done. 17.5