Cool shiraz from Victoria’s heart: Heathcote, Grampians & Pyreness show their ‘elegant’ side

Shiraz from Victoria’s cooler climates are often described as ‘elegant’, but what does that really mean? Here’s one winemaker’s very short answer.

Elegance: three modern-style shiraz from Victoria.

You hear a lot about red wines being “elegant”, but what does it really mean?

Chris Tyrrell, fifth-generation winemaker from that most famous of Hunter Valley families, has a short answer. “Practically it comes down to this: could I drink more than two glasses?’’

Like his gregarious winemaking father Bruce, Chris has a knack for cutting through wine jargon.

His insights on cooler-climate wines are worth hearing as The Australian Wine Club this week offers a cracking deal on three Victorian shiraz that fit snugly into the “elegant” category, including an exclusive wine from Tyrrell’s.

Tyrrell’s made their name in the Hunter but now have almost 20 years’ experience making shiraz in Heathcote, central Victoria, where the family began planting vineyards on a 26ha block in the mid-1990s.

When it comes to explaining the joys of elegant shiraz, Chris also has a longer answer. “Elegant wines are fruit-driven rather than winemaker-driven. Rather than lots of oak and lots of tannin to build structure, they rely on high natural acidity as a backbone.

“Someone used this expression and it stuck in my mind: elegant wines are complex wines but not complicated.”

If you’re sampling an elegant shiraz, you’ll be experiencing a fresh, bright style, which normally feels slightly lighter in your mouth (palate weight, in wine-speak) and is often a little lower in alcohol and higher in acid than a richer, dare I say it, old-school shiraz.

Cooler climates – especially those that experience warm days but cool nights – allow grapes to ripen slowly, building natural acid while keeping sugar levels lower, which determines the alcohol level at the end of the day.

Those richer shiraz, the foundation of Australia’s reputation on the global wine stage, are often grown in warmer climates, like the Barossa and McLaren Vale, and matured in new oak, imparting toasty flavours to combine with the fruit.

Chris would describe some of these wines as being “a high-octane, Christmas-cakey, full-mouth-coating experience”. Hence his struggle to get to a third glass.

While I have sometimes struggled to restrain myself to just two glasses of these wines, I understand where Chris is coming from, especially when you consider matching wines with food.

“When you consider we’re a hot country where we often eat outdoors and tend nowadays to be eating more Southeast Asian-influenced dishes, medium-bodied wines built on acidity refresh the palate and go together well with food,’’ Chris says.

Chris, who grew up on medium-bodied Hunter Valley shiraz, says Tyrrell’s are seeing more wine lovers gravitate towards this style. “Hunter shiraz used to be a hard sell but now we’ve got waiting lists for these wines. People are understanding that medium-bodied reds suit the way we like to live and eat.”

Here’s three modern-style shiraz from three different Victorian regions.

Tyrrell’s Blacksmith’s Hut Heathcote Shiraz 2019

An exclusive to the wine club, this wine speaks of an almost perfect Heathcote vintage: warm, dry days followed by cool nights, allowing the fruit to ripen fully, while maintaining a fresh line of acidity. Rich mulberry and dark plum flavours dominate the palate, with a touch of white pepper and spice, leading to a clean finish. Picked from the higher blocks of the Tyrrell’s Heathcote vineyard; Great value. 14.5% alc. RRP $40 a bottle CLUB SPECIAL $19.99 a bottle in any dozen

Bailey Wine Co Hyde Park Grampians Shiraz 2017

 

Classy, cool-climate shiraz with a capital “C”. Sour cherries, plums, licorice, leather, spice and white pepper mingle on a raft of silky supple tannins. Great example of Grampians shiraz from a small family producer owned by Kate and Tim Bailey (ex-Leconfield). 95 points from Team Halliday and Huon Hooke. 13.5% alc. RRP $35 a bottle CLUB SPECIAL $19.99 a bottle in Vic shiraz mixed dozen only

Mount Avoca Moates Lane Pyrenees Shiraz 2018

From an award-winning certified organic vineyard and winery established in the Pyrenees in 1970 comes this delicious, mid-weighted shiraz. Shows off a plush mix of blackberries, plums, white pepper and vanilla, driving to a clean finish. Scored the red Halliday star for exceptional value. 93 points from Wine Orbit. 14% alc. RRP $22 a bottle CLUB SPECIAL $19.99 a bottle in Vic shiraz mixed dozen only

Mixed Vic dozen

Four bottles of each wine above $19.99 a bottle

Order online or telephone [phone] Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm AEST. Deals only available while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaite’s Wine People.