Grant Burge Meshach

There are a lot of very expensive shirazes coming out of the Barossa these days. Its a reflection of quality, global demand, and the realisation the ancient vines these wines come from are a rare resource. The most famous are Penfolds Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace. The 2003 Grange was recently released at $550 and 2004 Hill of Grace at $529. I recently tasted these two plus Yalumba The Octavius 2004 ($96) and Grant Burge Meshach 2003 ($120), and couldn't see why the prices were so
scattered, I liked them all fairly equally.

My value pick is the Meshach. I thought it remarkably complex and rich (cedary, toasty, plums, prunes and aniseed), and eerily Grange-like in character. Wonderfully concentrated and fleshy in texture. When you taste the two unmasked, side-by-side, the main difference is the sweeter fruit/oak nose of the Meshach, while the Grange is very savoury to smell as well as taste: dry and tannic, stern and solid. Sounds tough, which it isn't: to drink with a meal it is already delicious - a sumptuous feast of a wine.

Octavius is different, loaded with earthy coffee/mocha and smoky oak-derived aromas - spices emerging with time in the glass - and masses of soft tannins flooding the palate. It should age as well as any of them.

Hill of Grace, on the other hand, is a very different cup of tea. Its Eden Valley provenance is the key. The nose is a blend of crushed, leafy-green herbal aromas closely linked with the spicy nuances of cooler-grown, higher-altitude shiraz, but coupled with raisiny flavours of overripe grapes. More typical earthy and ripe-plum shiraz aromas also come through. It has gentler tannins and more sweetness than the others. Very nice - but even nicer if someone else is paying! GW

Price: Php 4,440 / bottle

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