Shiraz (Barossa Valley, South Australia)

Tasting some of the world's finest wine can be difficult work. Well, maybe not, but getting from one wine region to another certainly can be. To get from Margaret River on the Indian Ocean coast to Barossa Valley in the southeastern part of Australia is a difficult task. Drive 3 hours from Margaret River to Perth, fly another 3 hours from Perth to Adelaide, and then drive an hour north and slightly east into Barossa Valley. It will be worth it, though; I promise.

The Rhone region in France is generally thought of as the home of Syrah (Shiraz in much of the southern hemisphere). But, the Syrah vines in the Rhone area were ravaged by the phylloxera plague in the mid-19th century. The little root louse destroyed many of the plantings there. But, phylloxera has never made it to Barossa Valley, so many of the vines here are well over 100 years old.

The weather here is exceptional for growing Shiraz. Overnight lows in the winter are typically around 5C/41F and almost never go below 0C/32F. Even when they do, they don't stay freezing for long. And daytime highs in the summer commonly run about 30C/86F and almost never exceed 40C/104F. Rain is plentiful during the winter, but quite rare during the growing season.

The soil here is marked by sand. On the rolling slopes in the valley, the sand is deep and quite porous. On the flats, it is mixed with a brownish-red clay. Summer sunshine, especially on the north-facing slopes is long and intense. This puts significant stress on the grapes and provides intense flavors in fairly high alcohol wines. In fact, the extreme heat of the last few summers has produced Shiraz with alcohol by volume (ABV) in the 16% range.

The best wines here, while exceptionally different in style from those in the northern Rhone, can be quite magical. Leading with massive amounts of blackberry and black currants, and finishing with strong mocha (sometimes dark roast coffee) notes intermingled with dried tobacco as well as what I can old describe as jerky prepared in a clay pot, critics initially thought these wines would lose their luster quickly. But, many of the better Shiraz from the region drink well for 15-20 years and the absolute best might well have 40 ar more years in them.

The tannins in the wines are very "grippy," but powdery rather than harsh. So, they produce a lot of body and ageability without the bite. If you like your wines subtle, these are not for you. But, if you like your wines to jump up and tell you who they are, the Shiraz from Barossa Valley are perfect.

Pair your Shiraz with beef or lamb, preferably barbecued or grilled. In particular, consider coffee-based rubs to accentuate the mocha in the wine or serve your lamb with a dark fruit jelly to further bring out the blackberry and currants.