Wednesday 30 January 2013

Tasting Wines From Fox Creek - Part II


In Part I, I ranted over the issue of tasting glass. This is the rest of the wines tasted. Just notes this time...
We got the opportunity to taste 6 vintages of the Red Baron Shiraz and 5 vintages of the Short Row Shiraz - the 2011 Red Baron and the 2010 Short Row is posted in Part I.

NV Vixen, Fox Creek
On arrival we were greated with a glass of this light red, fizzy wine that smells like lingonberry juice and with some notes of cranberries, spices and a touch of stables. Easy and uncomplicated.
The taste is easygoing, fresh and light with notes of lingonberries, cranberries and a whiff of chocolate. The acidity is a bit rugged. Not really my cup of tea.
76p   (tasted 2013/01)

2006 Red Baron Shiraz, Fox Creek
A mature, light nose with notes of not really ripe blackberries, blueberries, machine oil and some dark forest aromas. The sweetness is fine but there is not much depth.
The taste is mature, a bit foursquare but with a descent warmth to the fruit, which has begin to fade. This should have been drunk five years ago.
75p   (tasted 2013/01)

2007 Red Baron Shiraz, Fox Creek
A cool, nice, easygoing nose with notes of lingonberries, rasberries, christmas spices and some dark chocolate. Mature but not overly so.
The taste is cool, peppery and a bit lean with notes of blueberries, black cherries, meat stock and cocoa. A medium long, dry finish. One should not keep this any longer.
81p   (tasted 2013/01)

2008 Red Baron Shiraz, Fox Creek
A nice, warm, mature nose with notes of rasberries, licorice, some blackberries and a dollop of eucalyptus. A little thin in the middle but this is nice.
The taste is good, seedy and warm with notes of blueberry pie, peppered meat, licorice and balsa wood. A fine maturity. The finish is on the short side, but this is good.
84p   (tasted 2013/01)


2009 Red Baron Shiraz, Fox Creek
A cool, seedy, compressed nose with somewhat anonymous scents of blueberries, lingonberries and earth. Where is the Aussie fruit?
The taste is tight, liniar and just ok, with notes of lingonberries, blueberries, a bit of chocolate and some peppery notes. The acidity is high and seems to be on the side. It seems that they wanted to do a Aussie version of a Languedoc or something. But I like the big Aussie fruit!
72p   (tasted 2013/01)

2010 Red Baron Shiraz, Fox Creek
Almost identical to the 09, except for some herbs aromas on the nose.
The taste is the same, where is the warmth, the big mouthful of sweet Aussie fruit? If I had got this blind I wouldn´t be able to place it in Australian, or anywhere else for that matter. There is nothing technical wrong with it, but the character seems to have gone here...
73p   (tasted 2013/01)

During the tasting we were served some delicious food from Adam Dahlberg & Albin Wessman, the former Swedens representative in Bocuse d´Or 2012-2013.





The line up of Short Row was a big step up in fruit, character and power, and given the relatively small difference in price, this is the bottles to go for.

2006 Short Row Shiraz, Fox Creek
A deep, peppery, somewhat mature nose with notes of blackberries, rasberries, roasted meat and some bonfire aromas. A fine maturity. Deep. A touch of vanilla. This is good.
The taste is tight, warm and peppery with notes of blackberries, blueberries, eucalyptus and chocolate mousse. A medium long, warm finish that ends dry. A good structure. This is almost fully mature and I doubt it will get any better. Really nice.
89p   (tasted 2013/01)

2007 Short Row Shiraz, Fox Creek
A deep, tight, warm nose with notes of vanilla spiced blueberries, rasberry truffles, veal meat and crushed black peppars. A nice depth. Very easy to like on the nose.
The taste is deep, warm and powerful with notes of alcohol infused blackberries, vanilla pods, chocolate mousse and smoke. A tad too warm. A long, hot finish. Good, but the nose and taste are not really harmonious.
85p   (tasted 2013/01)


2008 Short Row Shiraz, Fox Creek
A deep, still young, upfront nose with lovely notes of blackberries, crushed white peppars, meat stock, raw rubber and licorice. Deep and fine. A gorgeous sweetness to the fruit.
The taste is big, steady and full of sweet black fruit with notes of licorice, vanilla pods, eaucalyptus and grilled meat. A long, warm, impressive finish. A lot of oomph in this one - I like!
91p   (tasted 2013/01)

2009 Short Row Shiraz, Fox Creek
This to! Compare the note of the 09 Red Baron above. A more liniar, tight nose with notes of sweet blueberries, licorice, earth and a touch of eacalyptus. Better than the Red Baron but not in the league of the others Short Row´s.
The taste is big, tight and medium long with notes of blueberry pie, lingonberries, licorice and some meaty notes. I miss the oomph from the 08... But luckily it was back in the 2010!
84p   (tasted 2013/01)

And there will be a Part III - I found a 96 Cabernet Reserve and a 98 Shiraz Reserve in the cellar - coming up soon!

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