Oliver's Taranga must have some of the best vineyards in McLaren Vale because they seem to handle the off seasons the best. These vines are grown by Don Oliver which may not mean much until you taste the wine. Don's thoughts are that the best way to grow grapes is by handling the vineyard with respect by not spraying them with much, the vineyards are organic but he doesn't believe in certification which means that they won't be labelled as such, then he manages the viticultural practices so the fruit comes in ripe with good levels of acidity. As such Don believes that the wines from Oliver's Taranga don't need all the additions that occur in many wineries from warmer areas. Do I believe that Don's philosophy works well. Yes! In 2012 I bought a parcel of fruit from his block and it will need no addition at all. Ok so the sample size for making this statement is small but I am willing to go out on a limp and stake that claim. On another note I think this winery turns out some of the best quality wines from the area at bargain prices.
Oliver's Taranga HJ Shiraz 2008
Right out of the gate this screams dried licorice, dark plums and smoked bacon. These aspects are powerful and elegant at the same time, which can be lacking in so many examples from this region, making this so easy to drink. What happens over the course of tasting this wine is simple. The wineshows so many flights of flavours and cerebral structure that I have to sit back and take notice of the gratifying flow. The tranquility of flavours does two things. If I had a day where I didn't want to think about the wine and I just wanted to drink it I could yet the wine also satisfies the scientist in me that wants to sit down and deconstruct everything. So the question must be...who do I want to be today.
Alcohol: 15%
Price: $50
Rated: 92
Drink: Now - 2020
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