Yellow Tail Shiraz and Shiraz-Grenache

[Chris Cognac]

I held my monthly blind tasting last night and we did 17 wines..Syrah-Shiraz and blends.....I have not scored everything yet, but when we did the reveal of what the bottles were, Yellow Tail from Austrailia just laid the smack down on everyone else...I rated them my 2 highest wines of the tasting.....I have noticed out here in California that the Yellow Tail prices have gone up about 20 percent

Here is the list of wines

25 Max

1. Smoking Loon 2003

2. Eberle 2002 Paso Robles “Up Shiraz”

3. Valley of the Moon 2001 Sonoma

4. McManis Family 2004 Ripon, CA

5. RDLR 2002 Mendocino County

6. Cline Syrah 2003

7. 2 Brothers “Big Tattoo” 2003 Chile

8. Cline “Cool Climate” 2003 Sonoma

9. Eberle 2002 “Steinbeck Vineyard” Paso Robles

10. Francis Coppola Diamond Collection “Green Label” Shiraz-Syrah 2003

11. Yellowtail Syrah

12. Ross Estate Barosa Valley 2002 Shiraz Australia

13. Kumkani 2002 Shiraz Stellenbosch South Africa

14. Langhorne Crossing 2003 South Africa 65% Cab, Shiraz and Malbec [First of the Blends]

15. Sideshow No. 4 Pupptmaster 2004 Syrah/Malbec

16. Trumpeter 2004 Malbec-Syrah 2004 Tupungato Argentina

17. Yellowtail Shiraz-Grenache 2004

[docsconz]

Very interesting, Chris. out of curiosity, how many times was each wine tasted and for how long a period of time over an evening? I ask because a fruit forward wine is likely to have a better initial presentation and then pale with continued drinking unless it has more complexity to it. I'm not saying that Yellowtail wsn't the best. I don't know, I wasn't there. It is just that the parameters can make a huge difference.

[Rebel Rose]

Chris, what was your group looking for in syrah? Sorry, maybe you're going to post detailed notes later . . . just wondering.

[le rouge gorge]

Thanks for the mention of YellowTail...I'd been avoiding it due to a mediocre review in the past, but will now give it a try. BTW, have you tried the shiraz/viogner blends from Oz? Shiraz/viogner, you say?? Yes, 3-6 or 7% max. viogner added to shiraz...adds a wonderful mellowness and fruit. Very tasty indeed.

[Grub]

I've tried the Yellow Tail a couple of times (most recently tonight). I'm by no means an expert, but it seems to have an unusual aroma that I've never smelt from other wines -- something nearly soapy... It tasted fine, but on both occasions, it had this unusual aroma.

[battleofthebulge]

Yep the Shiraz/Viognier blend (based on Cote Rotie) can be extremely tasty - cuts back the tendency for the Shiraz to 'thump' rather than cajole. Try D'Arenberg's The Laughing Magpie - if you can buy the 2001 or 2002 and lay it down for 18 months or more it'll be very good indeed.

Sarah

[jul3z]

I've tried the Yellow Tail a couple of times (most recently tonight). I'm by no means an expert, but it seems to have an unusual aroma that I've never smelt from other wines -- something nearly soapy... It tasted fine, but on both occasions, it had this unusual aroma.

←

We had a bottle of Yellowtail over the weekend and noticed an odd smell also, reminded me of a strong talcum powder. My friend said it hadn't been like that when she had tasted it in the store.

Edited September 20, 2005 by jul3z (log)

[Chris Cognac]

We each were portioned out a 1/4 glass (we were doing 17 wines) and went with no expectations.....if it was good it was good, if it sucked we would say so.....the panel is made up mostly of novice wine drinkers (11-12) and 4 or 5 guru's (some in the wine industry)...so we get both perspectives...

I have not noticed a bad smell with Yellow Tail.....I have with many other wines but not that one...I guess it would be a number of things...

I do think its great when ever a "cheap" wine does well....

PS Mary..the Dover Canyon Old Vine Zin is still the best bottle I have had all year!

Edited September 20, 2005 by Chris Cognac (log)

[ludja]

We each were portioned out a 1/4 glass (we were doing 17 wines) and went with no expectations.....if it was good it was good, if it sucked we would say so.....the panel is made up mostly of novice wine drinkers (11-12) and 4 or 5 guru's (some in the wine industry)...so we get both perspectives...

...!

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It's probably not possible to do this retrospectively, but it would have also been interesting to see how or if the ranking differed if you campared votes from the "novice wine drinkers" and the "gurus". In that way, one would actually have a measure of both perspectives.

As we know, at one level, a good wine is one that one enjoys at the time, but often people's tastes evolve as they begin to experience a greater breadth of wine styles. That has certainly been the case for me in the last fifteen years.

Sounds like a fun time to have so many wines to taste. I went on a recent tour of Paso Robles and Santa Barbara wineries (3 days) and got to taste a large number of Syrah's from a relatively small geographical area. It was also very interesting to compare and contrast the Syrah's in this way.

[PCL]

Um, how much do you people pay for Yellowtail over there?

The range described here retails for around AUD9.99-11.00

For me, they're a little sweet. Otherwise, inoffensive.

[Syrah]

Um, how much do you people pay for Yellowtail over there?

The range described here retails for around AUD9.99-11.00

For me, they're a little sweet. Otherwise, inoffensive.

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I got it on sale at Liquorland a few weeks back. I wasn't really impressed either, but it does appear to be popular as an export. So is Fosters though, not that I am implying anything.

[VenerableBede]

Um, how much do you people pay for Yellowtail over there?

The range described here retails for around AUD9.99-11.00

For me, they're a little sweet. Otherwise, inoffensive.

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you can get yellowtail for around $8 or so in most grocery stores- at least here in the washington, d.c. area. and you're right, the shiraz is sweet and inoffensive. although, i can't remember the last time i bought a bottle of yellowtail.

[Chris Cognac]

Its 5.99 at Trader Joes here in California....so for the money its a great wine! I think its a great wine just to have on hand at the house...not for keeping, its for drinking soon...

[PCL]

Tasted the shiraz, bought two bottles of the Cab Sauv.

Tasted better the next day actually.

I think Yellowtail is better for Australian wine than Fosters is for Australian beer

Edited September 28, 2005 by PCL (log)

[Syrah]

Tasted the shiraz, bought two bottles of the Cab Sauv.

Tasted better the next day actually.

I think Yellowtail is better for Australian wine than Fosters is for Australian beer :grin:

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Did you read that they are trying a marketing blitz to get it back in the pubs?? Hysterical.

[Jaymes]

Its 5.99 at Trader Joes here in California....so for the money its a great wine! I think its a great wine just to have on hand at the house...not for keeping, its for drinking soon...

I bought it for $3.99 on sale pretty regularly at World Market in Austin. Bought a lot of it. Was great just to have on hand as a cheap table wine.

[muichoi]

Oh dear!

[memesuze]

I bought it for $3.99 on sale pretty regularly at World Market in Austin.  Bought a lot of it.  Was great just to have on hand as a cheap table wine.

sale price at the Austin WMkt is $5.99 right now....saw it at Central Market yesterday for $5.49

[Chris Cognac]

The yellow tail wines have been going up in price as of late, so I would grab any bargains you see...anything under 6 bucks is a good buy these days....once it hits 10 bucks my yellow tail days will be much fewer

[KevV]

Just curious, Chris.

I didn't see any French syrahs included in your tasting list. Was there a reason behind this?

[Angeline7270]

I've tried the Yellow Tail a couple of times (most recently tonight). I'm by no means an expert, but it seems to have an unusual aroma that I've never smelt from other wines -- something nearly soapy... It tasted fine, but on both occasions, it had this unusual aroma.

←

We had a bottle of Yellowtail over the weekend and noticed an odd smell also, reminded me of a strong talcum powder. My friend said it hadn't been like that when she had tasted it in the store.

←

Anyone watch Monk? It wasn't Aqua Velva, was it?

[Chris Cognac]

We didnt exclude French wines by choice, it just worked out that way....we taste stuff that is sent to us and whatever I buy or people bring along to throw in the mix....we try to keep it to wines that regular folks like us would drink...nothing to special or expensive...