Metala Langhorne Creek Shiraz Cabernet 2007

"the prodigal son returns"

Metala is an iconic Australian wine brand, and was the winner of the first ever Jimmy Watson Trophy in 1962 with their 1961 vintage shiraz cabernet. That wine was made by Brian Dolan, and in later years his son Nigel took over the winemaking reins and won his own Jimmy Watson trophies in 1992 and 2003 under the Saltram label (part of the same company).

This wine is a return to that old fashioned earthy style of wine that has helped make Langhorne creek famous, as well as confirm Shiraz Cabernet blends as a truly Australian style of wine.

Langhorne creek is located 70 Km South East of Adelaide, and this vineyard like many in that region are on rich alluvial soils alongside the Bremer river. Periodic floodings of this river deliver ancient silt into the vineyards that flavour the grapes with a dark chocolate earthiness which makes them quite unique.

Even though this region can get fairly warm, the breezes off nearby like Alexandrina cool the grapes and stop that cooked sensation coming through to the wine, not unlike the cooling ocean breezes that deliver God’s air conditioning to the Mclaren vale region down the road.
If you like an old fashioned style of red wine that will keep led in it’s own pencil, then this one is for you. It has a big 15% alcohol content but rather that tasting over the top, it just delivers a mouth filling desire to drink more.

The wine is meaty, and earthy on the nose, with the meat and leather flavour coming through on the palate. It has a virtual spice rack of white pepper, nutmeg and cassia, along with flavours of blackcurrant, eucalyptus, mocha, and licorice. Even though the wine is big and brutish, the tannins are soft, a bit like your big rugby mate with a heart of gold. The length is impressive for a wine of this price, and even though it is now part of the massive Fosters corporation, this wine seems to have become less homogenised then most in their stable and has remained true to form. Even the labels have remained fairly similar to those made in the sixties.

This wine is normally priced around $19.99 a bottle, and there are still stocks of the 2007 vintage around which you will regularly find on special. Buy a dozen, drink a bottle every year till it runs out, and watch this wine evolve into a great wine at a bargain price.