Saltram Mamre Brook 2002 Barossa Shiraz

Tonight, we decided on Saltram Mamre Brook 2002 Barossa Shiraz.

We opened this wine because today is very special...... it's Monday! And it's been a crazy kind of day with storms and traffic that drove me insane! (well more so than usual)

Anyway, the wine.... 2002 was an outstanding vintage for Barossa Valley, SA.

Despite a whopping 15% alcohol, this wine is very well balanced. It has great depth, loads of fruit flavours, blackcurrant, plum, as well as liquorice, black pepper and vanilla from the American oak. It had turned six years old when we drank it, however, Nigel Dolan, the wine maker, affords it another 2 years on top of this. We think he's been conservative, and believe that it could go for another 4-5 years.

Although no longer family owned, the style has remained true to form. Mainly because Nigel and his family have been making wines here for decades. Although, unfortunately, Nigel did retire in late 2007.

I paid around AUD 18 for it, probably in 2004. Current vintage 2005 sells for around AUD 26.00.