The Great Australian blend & Un Segreto 2005

Next Tuesday one of my Landmark Tutorial seminars focuses on “the Great Australian Blend,” which I guess encompasses Shiraz Cabernet and GSM blends, not least since it will be presented by his excellency Mr Nine Popes himself, Charlie Melton.  Melton recently purchased a vineyard in High Eden in the Eden Valley,where he has planted all 13 Chateauneuf du Pape varieties and I look forward to hearing all about it since I suspect that the likes of Picpoul and Counoise are not terribly common Down Under.

Out east, in Victoria’s Beechworth, biodynamic winemaker Julian Castagna of Castagna (pictured) is also working outside the box.   Un Segreto 2005 is a single vineyard Sangiovese/Shiraz which blew my socks off when I tasted it a couple of weeks ago.  Castagna told me that, in his opinion, this particular blend will become one of the wines for which Australia will become known, provided that the grapes are grown in a cool climate.   Hope so based on this tasting – here’s my note:

A deep aubergine hue with a nose of bright yet earthy raspberry and red cherry .  In the mouth, it’s fresh and very spicy with dark, savoury, liquorice notes to its plum, raspberry and cherry fruit. But the freshness is the thing here.  It has a mineral sluiced acidity and freshness which gives lovely length.  The seamlessness of the blend and tannins enhance the flow and a subtly fruit saturated finish is shot through with spice, liquorice and dried, like incense.  Just gorgeous and so very digestible.