Tryells Brokenback Shiraz 2003

Tyrells Brokenback Shiraz 2003
Hunter Valley, Australia, approx Aus $22, stelvin seal

Tyrells are a big family owned company based in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. They produce a large range of wines including some superb Semillons and Chardonnays. I bought a dozen of these on-line in Australia and this bottle returned in my luggage after the summer holidays. I'm not sure why it took me so long to open it, but Saturday night a home-made beef pie was calling for a bottle of Shiraz.

This wine is good to smell; there's a whole rack of soft, delicious spices, along with some blackberries, smoke and a touch of good old Australia earth. The blackberries continue onto the palate alongside cinnamon, spice and a little white pepper to finish. The tannins are integrated, but still present, lurking around the edges. Tyrells Brokenback Shiraz 2003 is a mid-weigh wine, it's not super heavy or concentrated and offers very good drinking straight off the bat. I like this wine and am rather glad I've got another ten bottles cellared back in Australia.

Visit winery website.