11th September 2008
Jasper Hill New Release Reds
Jasper Hill is without doubt an Icon Australian wine. It has put Heathcote on the map and forged a path for so many other producers to follow, attempting to bask in some reflected glory. Within the week Heathcote's brightest star will release the new vintage wines, and we are about to take a sneak peak. |
2007 Occams Razor Shiraz
Emily
Laughton's own label, the Occam's Razor wines, although not on the
famous Cambrian soils, consistently produce wine of power and elegance.
The 07 has terrific colour, black in the middle pushing out to
a magenta rim. The wine has purple highlights but also a dark cherry
skin and leather matte-ness to it. On the nose the wine is only
beginning to emerge, notes of clove, brown spices; cinnamon, and a
shaving of nutmeg, it reminds me of a short crust berry pie, creamy,
buttery, with sweet and savoury fruit. The fruit notes on the nose are
still a little closed, but there is some blood plum and cherry,
dominated by licorice and a note of peppermint. In general, a lovely
perfume. The palate is spicy and leathery. The tannins show themselves
and dominate the fruit, yet the wine has good length, and plenty of
power. For me a more restrained version than the 06 on release and far
more perfume than the 05 which I imagine is still sleeping. This is a
wine which will retail for around $45, and if you can bear it, leave it
alone until Christmas. |
 | 2007 Jasper Hill 'Georgia's Paddock' Shiraz
The
07 Georgia's Paddock has that typical black and purple quality of
Shiraz. It has an opaque centre, which extends nearly all the way to
the rim where it finally bleeds out to be purple and particularly
bright and beautiful to look at. The nose of tihs wine is very fresh,
high notes of licorice, leafy mint, dark fruits, earth, and straw. In
the mouth, like the Occam's, the tannins bite at your cheeks, both skin
tannins at the front and wood tannins at the back, but the tannins of
the Georgia's are finer and more assertive. The wine has very
good length, but it needs time for the fruit to emerge. The fruit
in the mouth isn't just super ripe, in fact, it shows as being quite
savoury, but lacks nothing in power and length. Again, judging the wine
now is unfair, as although it is offering all its wonderful structural
elements, if you want more fruit, wait until Autumn next year. |
 | 2007 Jasper Hill 'Emily's Paddock' Shiraz Cabernet Franc
Starting
with similar colour notes to the Georgia's, the real standout
difference for this wine is the nose. There are notes of red petals,
baked pastry, blackcurrant, and eucalypt, which seems to fold into
rosemary and even some roasted meat smells. Very pretty and very
forward. There is no shortage of oak in this wine, but it is more
textural than so many examples in Australia. The tannins are super fine
and are easily licked off your cheeks. The fruit elements on the palate
are hiding, although I did see some black fruits. Again, in keeping
with quality wine designed for the long haul, keep this wine until next
year to see more fruit emerging if that is what you are looking for. |
 | 2007 Jasper Hill 'Cornella Vineyard' Grenache
Good
colour throughout, not nearly as dark in the centre, but still ruby and
purple notes with a magenta rim. A lovely perfume on the nose,
raspberry, licorice, white flowers and plum. The palate is really
fresh, and has nowhere near the imposing tannin structure of the three
above. There is a fruit quality, a juicyness, paired with really fresh
acidity that made me salivate. Peppery notes right at the back and nice
tannic grip, which fades and lets the sweetness of the fruit remain. I
know Ron Laughton said this was in between "blockbuster and
confectionary Australian styles", but I think it is much more pointed
toward elegance than anywhere near the confectionary side of the scale.
Like all of the wines, it has great persistence and power. If you must
drink a new release Jasper Hill wine, this is the one. |
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