Calabria Bros The Barossa Shiraz 2011

Calabria Bros The Barossa Shiraz 2011 (Barossa, SA)
14.5%, Screwcap, $25
Source: Sample
www.westendestate.com.au

The Calabria Bros label comes from Griffith’s Westend Estate, a winery which has recently changed names to Calabria Family Wines, better reflecting the fact that Westend is Bill Calabria’s family business.

Actually, if you’ve never met Bill Calabria then you’re probably missing out – he’s something of a legend really, known to have seen more wine gluts, wine booms and shit vintages than nearly anyone, while still remaining ridiculously affable (and selfless too – he didn’t pick up his recent OAM for nothing)..

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As is the norm for the Westend wines (particularly the reds), this Barossa Shiraz is a handy sort of drink too – a little rough around the edges, but with lots of flavour to go around.

Open fermented in open concrete vats and hand plunged this red looks awfully jubey and quite luscious given the vintage (14.9% 2012 vintage in this for sure!) with loads of fruit juiciness and no tannins in sight. The acidity is a bit raw, but the style is pretty good.

Slippery, generous and plump, driven by mid-palate fruit and slightly tart acidity it’s exactly what is expected of $25 Shiraz, if hardly profound.