I'm a bit new to Shiraz Viognier really, I mean who would think it's a good idea to co-ferment a white grape with a red one? I'd somehow picked up the idea that it's done to lift the aromatics, but if done poorly it can leave the wine smelling like apricots.

However James Hook (aka the Hookmeister), informed me when I pronounced his SV free of such stonefruit 'taint' that the reason for the Viognier is to soften the tannins a little. There's under 3% Viognier in this wine if I recall correctly.

Thus this wine is slightly more approachable than it's 09 Shiraz sibling, which if you'd read my review you'd know I reckon it needs a little time for those tannins to soften up. (Which you can't have read yet because I lost my notes in a Freudian desire to have a need to open another bottle of it, despite it being too young.)

A side note on this wine is that the Shiraz in it is from a completely different vineyard to it's straight Shiraz stablemate.

A couple of hours in the decanter first and it's clear this is one classy drop. The nose is plums and spice and all things nice. On the tongue it's full bodied high quality fruit supported by fine young tannibles and excellent acid balance. Despite the Viognier, the tannins will benefit from a wee bit more bottle age.

This is a very good wine and I have no hesitation in rating it Highly Recommended++ and ****. (Remember I try to mark hard)

MOREDSIR

This wine is also a reminder to me why I don't review wines unless I can spend time with them. I tried this at cellar door, and it was clearly a very good wine but it didn't blow me away as much as the 2008 did at the same time last year. Apparently my taste buds hadn't quite woken up at cellar door. They're wide awake now.

Magnificent colour pouring into the decanter, almost iridescent purple and crimson. Loving this colour is probably Freudian too. Growing up, we had a plum tree in the backyard, and at least one time I recall my brother and I having a plum fight. We spent quite some time hosing off the plums before Mum and Dad got home, which is a shame really because the house looked brilliant with purple polka dots.

Fabulous nose. Red cherries, blueberries, a hint of fennel and lurking around in the background is something dark and wicked. You know how when you're at a party with loud music and you're trying to talk to some lady who isn't your lady and you have to lean in quite close to them to yell in their ear (for guys I just yell louder). Well, sometimes they smell quite nice, wickedly nice. I think they've been dabbing LazyB Shiraz behind their ears instead of perfume.

I don't think my wife reads this blog. You'll know if she does when the posts stop suddenly.

The flavours are complex. It's like being in your car at a train crossing, waiting as a freight train goes past. You sit there trying to read the graffiti on each carriage, but just as you've almost worked out what the word was, another one appears. And then another. Quite a lot more follow. So please forgive my failed taste buds if they can't get beyond "yum".

Tannins fine and velvety but they really need more time yet. Acid perfectly matches that though. This wine will age well, so unlike me try to hide it away for 2-3 years, but get enough you can drink it for a lot more years than that.

James Hook, the winemaker, told me he gets almost ill with apprehension when he releases a new wine. Clearly it's not because he fears the wine's quality, but just because he cares so much about what he's created. I love that.

Rated Excellent++ and ****.

MOREDSIR