Powell & Son, Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro, Barossa Valley (AUS) 2017
Powell & Son, Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro, Barossa Valley (AUS) 2017
by sid_loves_wine
3 Comments
AustraliaWineDude
Where them notes Sid!
sid_loves_wine
Beautiful stuff by the former winemaker for Torbreck (Dave Powell) and his son Callum (a collaboration that’s since ended, also.) I believe this label is now renamed “Neldner Road”.
60% Grenache, 20% each Shiraz and Mataro (for those unfamiliar, those are just the Aussie names for Syrah and Mourvèdre.) The Grenache definitely does the heavy lifting. Rich, but still showing a sense of subtlety for sure; not extremely powerful/pungent, and not really complex, but persistently perfumed with excellently ripe fruit, curvaceous and alluring without even approaching excess.
A bloom of raspberry liqueur or fresh baked cherry pie wafting from the glass, definitely a bit more red-fruited than black although quite concentrated; various baking spices from the oak in the background behind the fruit. Not at all jammy or hot, just round and comforting. Touches of fig newton cookies. Maybe some slight floral shades, but not super vivid. I guess it’s mostly fruit and oak, and the nose isn’t immediately “attention-grabbing”, and yet it’s deep and highly inviting. The palate follows the nose exactly- gentle waves of rich Chambord and heavily spiced plums, with fantastic structure (superfine velvet tannin) and excellent acid levels (neither awkwardly tart nor at all flabby.)
I love big Barossa Shiraz sometimes, and choose a GSM far less often, but I’m glad I did here. It was absolutely lovely; I just don’t know if it was something more special than that. I felt that their “Riverside” GSM (about half the price) might represent better QPR- a tiny bit less “elegant” but otherwise a very similar profile.
fddfgs
David Powell might be an absolutely insane unit of a man, but he certainly knows how to make a great wine.
3 Comments
Where them notes Sid!
Beautiful stuff by the former winemaker for Torbreck (Dave Powell) and his son Callum (a collaboration that’s since ended, also.) I believe this label is now renamed “Neldner Road”.
60% Grenache, 20% each Shiraz and Mataro (for those unfamiliar, those are just the Aussie names for Syrah and Mourvèdre.) The Grenache definitely does the heavy lifting. Rich, but still showing a sense of subtlety for sure; not extremely powerful/pungent, and not really complex, but persistently perfumed with excellently ripe fruit, curvaceous and alluring without even approaching excess.
A bloom of raspberry liqueur or fresh baked cherry pie wafting from the glass, definitely a bit more red-fruited than black although quite concentrated; various baking spices from the oak in the background behind the fruit. Not at all jammy or hot, just round and comforting. Touches of fig newton cookies. Maybe some slight floral shades, but not super vivid. I guess it’s mostly fruit and oak, and the nose isn’t immediately “attention-grabbing”, and yet it’s deep and highly inviting. The palate follows the nose exactly- gentle waves of rich Chambord and heavily spiced plums, with fantastic structure (superfine velvet tannin) and excellent acid levels (neither awkwardly tart nor at all flabby.)
I love big Barossa Shiraz sometimes, and choose a GSM far less often, but I’m glad I did here. It was absolutely lovely; I just don’t know if it was something more special than that. I felt that their “Riverside” GSM (about half the price) might represent better QPR- a tiny bit less “elegant” but otherwise a very similar profile.
David Powell might be an absolutely insane unit of a man, but he certainly knows how to make a great wine.