Fetish Wines

My two bottles of Fetish: The Watcher arrived this week. May have to bust into a bottle soon.

The clinical review....

Fetish is a joint venture between Joshua Tree Imports and noted winemaker Rolf Binder. The 2006 The Watcher Shiraz offers up a nose of wood smoke, tar, blueberry, and blackberry. This leads to a thick, structured wine with excellent layering of fruit, intense flavors, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. Give it 2-3 years to unfold and drink it through 2016."" Best 2009-2016

Winners Tank

I purchased this wine for $11.99 based on research done on the fly while shopping. Check out-

http://manageyourcellar.com/winecellar/do/Welcome

This is a great website to manage your cellar for free, yes free! It provides you with access to an extensive wine library and offers a mobile format or full html format to view.

OK, back to the wine. I opened it about an hour before the first taste. When I took the initial whiff from the bottle, I knew I would be pleased with the selection.

As with all true full bodied reds, I was careful not to rush this one into the glass and let it relax naturally, slowly massaging oxygen into the wine at a leisurely pace.

The first pour released an abundant nose and fragrances of dark berry, a bit of plum and perhaps a little black cherry. The color was an inky purple that coated the glass like lipstick on a white shirt collar, no escaping this red..... I thought to myself.

As I held is up to the light to look at the color in greater detail, it was if I were looking into a past life. It was dark and unknown in there, but it was going to be fun and not worth missing out by playing it safe.

The legs on this red were almost supernatural, powerful, long... wait long is not the correct word.....lingering, like the first awkward kiss........oops, check that.

The legs lasted for what would seem an eternity, enough said.

The flavor when I drank this was everything I had come to expected from a full bodied red: big, bold, angry, warming, smooth with hint of resistance. The finish was persistent, long and very pronounced.

Robert Parker rated this a 91, and called it a perennial "best buy".

I would have to agree, for $11.99 this is one red to let in and enjoy.

A wish list wine...Torbreck The Struie 2005

Its dense color is accompanied by a fragrant bouquet comprising blackberry, pepper and licorice aromas, and a rich, silky mouth feel.

The Struie greatly rewards those with the patience to carefully cellar it.

Wine Advocate The 2005 The Struie was sourced from cooler Eden Valley and Barossa Valley hillside vineyards. It is David Powell’s attempt to showcase the cooler side of the region. Vine age ranges from 46-110 years old. The wine was aged for 18 months in older French oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. It delivers a splendid bouquet of lead pencil, game, blueberry muffin, and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by an elegant Shiraz which is nevertheless full-bodied, dense, and richly flavored. Plush on the palate, it has superior depth and length and the structure to evolve for 6-8 years. Drink it through 2027. Score: 94. —Jay Miller, October 2007.

Wine Enthusiast This has a distinctly spicy, savory, meaty quality to its aromas, possibly due to the one-third of the blend that comes from Eden Valley. Those elements impart great complexity to this wine, building on its core of blackberry fruit. Like all the Torbreck wines, this shows a rich, layered texture and a long finish. Drink now–2020. Score: 93. —Joe Czerwinski, November 01, 2007.

Wine Spectator Smooth and round, with a distinct floral cast to the blueberry and plum flavors, finishing with a red pepper note and deft balance. The flavors are focused and juicy. Shiraz. Drink now through 2013. Score: 90. —Harvey Steiman, October 15, 2007.

The Quake

This beast ALMOST got the better of me one evening.....It is a bit over the top....15% on the alcohol level. Open it the night before or at least 3 hours and give this full bodied red ample time and space for proper breathing and such....

It does not sneak up on you, too big for that! Enjoy with a pizza loaded with garlic, peppers, garlic, and boursin cheese.


Don't drink it alone...Don't drink it in the dark....

But Drink It!

Waiting to Drink.....

A few more years for this one.....but I have two......perhaps sooner.

Supple in texture and deftly balanced despite its size, this is a big wine that dances smoothly on the palate, while showing off its rich cherry, blueberry and sweet spice flavors. The parts melt together seamlessly as the finish rolls on and on. Drink now through 2016.

The Boxer - 2007 Version

I have had the pleasure of enjoying more than one bottle of Mollydooker: The Boxer from 2007. I found it an excellent wine for $25.00.

A professional review of this wine-

90 pts - Wine Spectator

The compelling nose exhibits aromas of scorched earth, smoke, grilled bacon, blueberry compote, and blackberry liqueur. Full-bodied, thick and rich, this layered Shiraz is velvety-textured and opulent.

The finish lasts for nearly a minute. It is a sensational value. It can be enjoyed now but will evolve for several years.

Latest Purchase

I recently purchased a bottle of Amon-Ra, 2006 Shiraz.

I wont be able to share my experience as it relates to this wine for about 10 years, but here is what Robert Parker www.erobertparker.com could tell us.

"97-100 points Robert Parker: "Amon-Ra has become one of Australia’s icon wines. Made from 100% Shiraz sourced from vineyards ranging in age from 80-120 years and with microscopic yields of 0.5 tons per acre, the 2006 Amon-Ra was aged for 15 months in new French and American oak. The wine is a thick, glass-coating, purple/black in color. The aromas cover a wide range of scents including smoke, vanilla, pepper, Asian spices, coconut, espresso, blueberry, and chocolate. Thick, rich, layered, and complete, this monumental wine offers extraordinary intensity and length. It requires 10-15 years to fully evolve and should easily last through 2040. Hats off to Ben Glaetzer for producing an extraordinary portfolio! The renowned winemaker, Ben Glaetzer, sources all of his fruit for this label from the Ebenezer district in the northern Barossa.

Many knowledgeable experts cite this sub-region as the finest in the Valley." (10/07) " Best -2040

Welcome to Full Bodied Red

I will try to post my opinion about my favorite subject.....Full Bodied Red Wines....