Episode-9: The Wines of Henry’s Drive

Food, Wine, Culture TV- Episode 9: I recently had a chance to have dinner with the very talented wine maker Renae Hirsch- the newest wine maker at well known producer Henry’s Drive in the Padthaway region of Southeast Australia. I was very impressed with Renae’s passion and love of wine and good food, and look forward to watching her integrate her style, personality into the wines of Henry’s Drive. Today I have chosen three of my favorites to talk about. So please join me as I taste through the wines of Henry’s Drive and tell the story of where the vineyard gets its name!
(main image credit: Original uploader was Mfunnell at en.wikipedia)

Some really great value in most of their wines. Definitely worth checking out:

Links:
Henry’s Drive

Wines Tasted:

2007 Pillar Box Red - $12: Bright raspberry, blueberry, big league chew bubblegum, cassis. Surprisingly balanced, fruit forward but not jammy. Medium tannins and pleasant finish. Great QPR. My rating: 86 pts, VGV.

2006 Trial of John Montford - $29.99: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon- Creamy cherry, blackberry, rich flavors as a result of extended skin contact. Red and black fruits explode on the palate but in very elegant manner. Good structure, should balance out nicely with age- My rating: 89+ pts, GV

2006 Henry’s Drive Shiraz Reserve - $54.99: Eucalyptus, cocoa, deep chocolate, dark raspberry, caramel, toasted vanilla. Rich, rich wine with outstanding structure. Set it down for a few years or enjoy it now with a long decant. My rating: 92 pts, GV

Other wines tasted:

2007 Pillar Box White - $12: Mostly Chardonnay, some Sauvignon Blanc and Verdelho..but the S. Blanc really dominates. Grassy, lemon rind, nice tropical fruit flavors. GRIPPING acidity overwhelms the palate- this needs some time in bottle (new release, so a few months will help) but is nice and shows potential. Great QPR- My rating: 87 pts, GV

2007 Pillar Box Red Reserve - $20: Beautiful dark purple color with a nose of raspberry, cherry and juicy fruit gum and red and dark fruits on the palate. Nice herb/spruce note on the finish - more interesting than the regular bottling. My rating: 87/88 pts, OKV

2006 Dead Letter Office: 100% Shiraz from 2 plots- Black currant, explosive dark fruits with hints of red raspberry and a touch of spice. Earth and tobacco notes, extracted and structured- a big wine that will stand up against grilled meats! My rating: 88 pts, GV

2006 Parson’s Flat: This was the groups favorite wine with deep blackberry flavors, cigar box, creme de cassis, sweet vanilla, slightly oaky but not overwhelming. Nice, very approachable wine that will appeal to most people. My rating: 90 pts, GV

2006 Henry’s Drive Shiraz- $34.99: 100% Shiraz from Padthaway. No formal notes taken.