Reschke Bull Trader Shiraz 2006 (Coonawarra, SA)
$19, Screwcap, 14%
Source: Retail
http://www.reschke.com.au/

Firstly, an advanced apology: This is another lukewarm wine review, so tune out now if you are looking for a wine recommendation. Or buy a bottle of the Kurtz Boundary Row GSM 2006, which has been disappearing at alarming speeds whenever a bottle is opened around here. Now that is a cracking bottle of red wine for the dollars (I’ll review it down the track).

Anyway, back to this Shiraz. Now I have a suitably middling relationship with Coonawarra Shiraz, as, in my opinion, it is best suited to blending with a healthy dose of Coonawarra Cabernet. In fact, I think that Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz is twice as interesting as Coonawarra Cabernet Merlot, though few people seem to agree (they obviously haven’t tried a full vertical of Petaluma Coonawarra).

As a result, I often find myself underwhelmed by Coonawarra Shiraz, and sadly this is no exception.
Mid red with light edges, the nose shows rather developed, secondary characters of pepper and roast beef with mushrooms, casserole like even, which makes it more interesting perhaps, but in the final wash there is little fruit in there.

Following this, the palate is somewhat dried out and tiring, showing liqueured and cedary secondary flavours and little generosity, with pokey acids and chewy tannins. The fruit is on the decline, yet the structure is rather decent, leaving not enough generosity to hang everything on. The end result is somewhat regional and mature, complex at times even, but ultimately just lacking the requisite vibrancy.  15/83