Spinifex is deservedly lauded for its southern French-inspired blends. Esprit, a four-way blend of Mourvèdre, Grenache, Shiraz and Cinsault, is a typical Barossa meets southern Rhône style. It bursts with rich and lush fruit, spice lending complexity on the finish.
All in all, the wine delivers what one expects, with reasonable complexity. While there is a good amount to like now, past experience suggests Barossan red blends such as these can be aged well beyond critics suggested drinking windows, developing considerable aromatic complexity in that time.
There’s plenty to like with this wine in a rich and fleshy, juicy fruit kind of way. Indeed, it’s a superior crowd pleaser. For this particular imbiber, it lacks for a certain je ne sais quoi, an extra layer of complexity that would elevate it from the every day to ethereal. For those seeking secondary complexity, perhaps time is all that is needed. Little seems to have changed with the 2006 Spinifex Esprit since it was lasted tasted almost two years ago.
2006 ESPRIT
Producer: Spinifex
Variety: Grenache et al (Mourvèdre 34%, Grenache 31%, Shiraz 30%, Cinsault 5%)
Vintage: 2006
Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Diam
Retail Price: N/a
Date tasted: 26 April 2014
Tasting Note:
Saturated plum red in appearance. Rich nose of blood plums, mulberry, violet, liquorice and exotic spaces. Full bodied, lush and velvet in the mouth. Nice balance of sweet and sour, spice adding complexity on the finish. Does what it says on the label and drinking well now, but has the stuffing for age and potentially develop secondary complexity for 4-5 years.
Score: 16/20
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