ITC is an export company, based in Australia, that searches for quality wines from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. They currently represent 51 wineries; the 3 wineries shown below, as well as other well known wineries, such as d’Arenberg, Penfolds, Hamilton Russell Vineyards, and Ata Rangi.
Although you will see 3 wines at 3 different price points, I think they were all wonderful wines on their own, and enjoyed them equally. There is a 16x price difference between the lowest and highest priced wine, but I can’t say that I feel 16x deprived when I sip the lowest-priced, Charles Cimicky.
The pricing of wines has many variables. Some variables can be based on the historical background of a winery, the specificity and size of a particular vineyard, fermentation and aging length, hang time (grape ripeness), viticulture processes, types of barrels and so much more. I cannot comment on all these components for these three wines, but the wineries all produced something special for us to enjoy.
My Wine Reviews
Charles Cimicky Trumps Shiraz 2012 ($23.99) – Cimicky Wines is located in the Barossa Valley. They are a very low-profile winery and have a simple web page inviting you to visit them. This wine has a juicy, berry fruit nose. Dry, medium body with a light mouthfeel. Nice ripe berry flavours, and sweet spices on the finish. A very tasty wine at a great price.
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Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2013 ($109) – Clonakilla winery is located in the Canberra District, which is inland, southwest of Sydney; 3 hours by car. When I think of prime winery regions in Australia, Canberra does not come to mind. Traveling there in the past, I think of it being the capital of Australia, but it is more than that. It can produce excellent grapes which have been transformed into this excellent wine. The Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier has a beautiful nose with aromas of roses and oranges. Medium body, soft with a lighter mouthfeel. It was hard to describe the flavours; there was rich fruit but it was subdued, and there are hints of orange and woodiness on the palate. I felt like I was tasting the terroir of the vineyard more than just the grapes.
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Greenock Creek Roennfeldt Road Shiraz 2005 ($389.99) – This wine is made from 80-year-old vines from a single vineyard on Roennfeldt Road. The winery makes the wine production quite involved. In their own words “…the grapes are fermented in large, shallow open fermenters, pumped over, chilled and pressed through a basket press. The free run and pressings are kept separate through maturation and blended back together one week before bottling. Following primary fermentation the wine is racked into barrel to undergo natural MLF. The wine is left to mature in barrels (all new American hogsheads) for a total of 36 months and then bottled. The wine is usually not filtered or fined prior to bottling, and is then left in bottle to mature for another 24 months…” from the Greenock Creek website.
This wine was very aromatic, with ripe, sweet, dark fruit and vanilla aromas. Medium-plus body, smooth with ripe sweet dark fruit flavours, and nice minerality. It is possibly off-dry, but it is hard to tell as the fruit is so ripe. An outstanding wine.
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