Shobbrook Wines has been associated with ‘natural wines’ camp. Certainly, there is an ethos at play here that eschews intervention and favours nature. As is increasingly the case here in Australia, the wine sees fermentation with indigenous yeasts. The use of sulphur dioxide is kept to a minimum, with just a small dose added at bottling to act as an antioxidant.
Where the Tommy Ruff Shiraz Mourvèdre differs from some so-called ‘natural wines’ (which can, at times, be remarkable) is that it is 100% clean, fresh and vinous. What is most impressive about the wine is that it sits so far outside of the Barossa Valley norm, and in a good way. Nosing the wine, one gains an impression that it can only be from a cool region, Shiraz (perhaps we should say Syrah) with a distinctly peppery and meaty edge, the Mourvèdre contributing a gamey quality.
In the mouth, the wine is full flavoured and fresh, but remarkably dry, savoury and elegant. Barossa fruit bomb it is most certainly not. Unlike some modern wines that are made ‘on the edge’ there is no sense of artifice here. It is an exciting insight as to just what can be achieved from one of Australia’s warm climate regions when one dares to be different.
2010 TOMMY RUFF SHIRAZ MOURVÈDRE
Producer: Shobbrook Wines
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz blend
Vintage: 2010
Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $26.00
Date tasted: 20 April 2012
Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Intense nose of freshly ground black pepper, charcoal, tar, meat, hung game and blackberry. The palate is medium bodied and savoury, raspberry to the fore together with meat/game and black pepper. There’s real elegance here, and a genuinely savoury quality that belies the wine’s warm climate origin. Good length.
Score: 17.5/20
Where the Tommy Ruff Shiraz Mourvèdre differs from some so-called ‘natural wines’ (which can, at times, be remarkable) is that it is 100% clean, fresh and vinous. What is most impressive about the wine is that it sits so far outside of the Barossa Valley norm, and in a good way. Nosing the wine, one gains an impression that it can only be from a cool region, Shiraz (perhaps we should say Syrah) with a distinctly peppery and meaty edge, the Mourvèdre contributing a gamey quality.
In the mouth, the wine is full flavoured and fresh, but remarkably dry, savoury and elegant. Barossa fruit bomb it is most certainly not. Unlike some modern wines that are made ‘on the edge’ there is no sense of artifice here. It is an exciting insight as to just what can be achieved from one of Australia’s warm climate regions when one dares to be different.
2010 TOMMY RUFF SHIRAZ MOURVÈDREProducer: Shobbrook Wines
Variety: Syrah/Shiraz blend
Vintage: 2010
Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $26.00
Date tasted: 20 April 2012
Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Intense nose of freshly ground black pepper, charcoal, tar, meat, hung game and blackberry. The palate is medium bodied and savoury, raspberry to the fore together with meat/game and black pepper. There’s real elegance here, and a genuinely savoury quality that belies the wine’s warm climate origin. Good length.
Score: 17.5/20
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