Wallace 07: Older vines bring richness and complexity

From the Barossa Valley of Australia, the Glaetzer Family winemakers bring us a red wine using the French Rhone Valley varietals, Shiraz and Grenache. The Shiraz grapes come from old vines that are anywhere from 60 to 80 years old. It's my opinion that there's a richness and concentration to old-vine wines that you don't always get from the younger vines. This wine, called Wallace, has had many good reviews with high ratings. The Wine Spectator, The Wine Advocate, and Australia's own James Halliday have rated this wine 90 points and higher.
Today we are seeing wines with higher alcohol levels than ever before, and if they are unbalanced I usually find they have too much of that hot burn that can make them unpleasant to drink. Not so in this Wallace 2007 Shiraz/Grenache, even though the alcohol sits at 15 per cent. A good balance between fruit, alcohol, tannins and acidity leave this wine with a complexity that's worthy of every high rating it has received.
This wine's complexity makes it hard to define its aromas and flavours. It has so many layers that you discover new ones as the aromas travel up your nasal passages and the wine coats your taste buds. After the Shiraz delivers all the ripe red and blackberry flavours with hints of pepper, the 25 per cent Grenache kicks in with red cherries and a sweet earthiness. All of these flavours have been perfectly blended during its year in oak barrels. At $28.49 it is good value, and we often pay a lot more for a wine of this quality. When I had this wine it was on its own, but I think it would be great with red meat. You can also try it with chicken or turkey.