Australia always provides the connoisseur with something in the red wine department. I never forget visiting this wine processor close to Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley of South-West Australia. It was a few years before I could find their wines in the UK but when I did my brother and I went mad for the Black Label Shiraz and we’ve never stopped buying it. McGuigan is an IWSC Winemaker of the year and studying their processing using Bucher-Guyer presses always indicates a certain seriousness of their craft.
In terms of flavour, the Black Label Shiraz (Alcohol 13.5% Vol.) can best be described as fruity but then what isn’t however the more trained nose suggests a soft plum with slight cherry and a spiciness that continues to develop on the tongue if not the whole palate. We think recent vintages have been much rounder and there has been a developing depth to these wines over the years. Its possible that the grape variety has been changing over the years as evidenced by recent scientific literature concerning grape growing. One critic suggests vanilla and caramel in the flavour which indicates slight storage issues but I’m more convinced this is about continued aging in the bottle. The Shiraz (Syrah) grape always means that it accompanies fully roasted meats and tomato dishes that benefit from the warming embrace on the tongue of this particular wine. It lasts about 2-3 years if kept on its side in a cool room or cellar.
A slightly less prepossessing vintage is McGuigan’s Black Label Red (13% alcol. vol.) which has a similar flavour profile to the Black Label Shiraz even though it is a blend of this particular grape. Notable flavours also include berry and spice aroma overlaying a similar flavour profile. we find the spiciness works best with strong flavoured foods such as Asian stir-fries, Italian meat dishes especially pasta and pizzas. Tomato dishes are also to be considered as a suitable partner and even a Gorgonzola cheese matches up well. Colour was slightly paler in this product compared to our earlier wine friend.
This post contains links to our affiliate marketing partner.
Leave a Reply