REGION:
Riverland, Wrattonbully, South Australia, 2009
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING:
The grapes for this wine were sourced from Angove’s own Nanya vineyards and premium growers in the Riverland region. Soils are predominantly red sandy loam over limestone, on gently undulating east west ridges.
Spring rains allowed the vines to develop a healthy canopy, setting up the 2009 Vintage. It was a relatively cool growing season, the exception being a short heatwave in February. The red varieties ripened in a slow and steady manner, allowing to the fruit to develop bright stable colour, a fine tannin structure and excellent varietal aromatic flavour. The resulting wines are deep in colour, rich and varietal.
The grapes for this wine were picked at night to make sure that they were as cool as possible. Crushed to modern rotary fermenters the grapes were then allowed to macerate for 2 days before inoculation and fermentation. Pressed off skins 7 days later and allowed to go through the second malolactic fermentation. The wine has then had minimal handling prior to filtration for bottling.
WINEMAKERS' NOTES:
Inky black with purple and garnet hues, this wine follows its lovely colour with aromas of rich plum redcurrant and liquorice together with spicy vanillin oak. The soft silky texture and fruit richness of the palate have great length and finish with exquisite mouth filling dark fruit flavours.
This wine is ideal with kangaroo or your favourite steak.
TECHNICAL:
Variety: Shiraz
Alcohol: 14.5% alc/vol
Residual Sugar: <3 gms/l
PH: 3.52
Bairnsdale Advertiser - 22.07.11
“From South Australia’s Riverland area, this wine is inky black with purple and garnet hues. This wine follows its lovely colour with aromas of rich plum redcurrant and liquorice, together with spicy vanillin oak. The soft silky texture and fruit richness of the palate have great length and finish with exquisite mouth-filling dark fruit flavours.”
Brandon Sun Weekend, Canada - Diane Nelson - July 2011
“What really sealed the deal for me was that the 2008 Red Belly Black Shiraz was made by - you guessed it! - Angove Family Winemakers. And since I’d loved their 2008 Vineyard Select McLaren Vale Shiraz, and since I was enamoured with the idea that ‘black’ would deliver a dark, ballsy red, I scooped up a couple of bottles and headed for home.”
Quaff 2011 - Peter Forrestal
The Best Wines in Australia Under $15 - Good
"This has ripe sweet plummy flavours, smooth texture and a gentle fruity finish. A decent wine at a fair price."
The Big Red Wine Book - Campbell Mattinson and Gary Walsh - 2010/11 Edition
5 Stars - 87 Points
'Stay with us here. You know the smell of raw sausage meat - the type you buy as a base for homemade sausage rolls? That's what this wine smells like. It has a meaty, peppery character though here it has some blackberried, fruit notes too. It's not unpleasant, but it is distinctive. Add Aniseed to the mix and you have, in its style, a pretty tasty wine.'
Wine Spectator - June 2010 - 86 Points
'Polished, focused and appealing for its cherry and mineral flavours, lingering on the refined finish.'
The Australian Wine Annual 2010 - Jeremy Oliver - 86 Points
'A cheerful little red whose slightly earthy, leathery aromas of candied red berries and plums precede a juicy, polished and creamy palate. It lacks great length, but presents spicy red and black fruits and restrained vanilla oak supported by a slightly raw backbone.'
James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2010 - 88 Points
4 Stars
'Crimson-red; generously built and fruited, with appropriate tannins and a lick of vanilla oak. Honest wine, honest price.'
Wine Spectator - July - 87 Points
Bright in flavour, this is open-textured and appealing for its currant and blackberry fruit, shaded with hints of pepper and green tobacco.
Bairnsdale Advertiser - Mick Plozza - 9.01.09 - Page 8
The 2007 Red Belly Black Shiraz is a deep purple with brooding red hues, this rich, full-bodied wine shows ripe plum, cherry, and licorice fruit on the nose. This wine is ideal with red meat or hearty pasta dishes. The grapes for this wine were picked at night to make sure that they were as cool as possible. Crushed to modern rotary fermenters and traditional static fermenters the grapes were then allowed to macerate for two days before inoculation and fermentation. The grapes were pressed off skins seven days later and allowed to go through the second malolactic fermentation. Parcels of this wine were aged in small American and French barrels to impart rich full spice and vanillin flavours.
Geelong Advertiser - 20.12.08 - Graeme Phillips & Rebecca Stubbs - Page 45
A deep dark red, it doesn't give much away on the nose, aside from some offerings of fruit. The palate is lightly oaked with a hint of vanilla. It's rather creamy for a shiraz, not a lot of spice, but it does provide some pleasing plummy fruits with just a note of
liquorice rounding out for a not bad quaff. Definitely the best I've tried from Angoves. A good mid-weeker.
Quaff 2009, The Best Wines In Australia Under $15 - Peter Forrestal
Rated 'Good'
'There's generosity here, an almost lush easy-drinking quality as rich, concentrated plummy flavours are presented in an approachable style.'
Chronicle Herald - Nova Scotia CANADA - Sean Wood - 02.10.08
Named after a snake that likes to hang around the vineyards, this is a generous shiraz displaying fleshy ripe berry perfume and a dusting of spice. Ripe berry, supportive firm but ripe tannins, dark chocolate and layers of spice in the mouth, concluding with deftly understated oak. Drink now of hold for up to three years.
Winestate World's Greatest Shiraz Tasting 3 - September/October
Loads of oak but also sufficient rich, varietal fruit underneath to carry it.
VINES Magazine - Vic Harradine - Sept/Oct 08 FOUR STARS
'Eucalyptus, spicy oak and boysenberry jam aromas waft from the glass of this fleshy and full-flavoured red. The up-front fruit flavours, consisting of briary berry and spicy black plum, are ripe juicy and warm (14.5 percent alcohol). There's also a spine of moderating acidity that's introduced through a tangy red cherry flavour. The texture is silky smooth while the finish is medium length and beautifully balanced.'
Matthew Jukes - UK Wine Writer - Portavin Touch Wine 2008
I have survived being bitten by this juicy red wine and you will too, with a smile on your face, so don't be scared. This is the only time that I would recommend venturing this close to a Red Belly Black. Red Belly Black Shiraz 2006
The Ottawa Citizen (Rod Phillips) May 18, 2008
Red Belly Black 2006 Shiraz
'New in the LCBO, this is a rich and complex shiraz from Australia, with a lot of character. Look for attractive flavours and texture and good balance. Open it with grilled red meats, especially lamb.'
National Liquor News - July 2008
This wine has a medium red colour with a dusty aroma, also with chocolate and spice on the nose. It has plum and dark cassis on the palate, with a full body and flavour.
WineCurrent website - Toronto Canada - Vic Harradine
Angove's 'Red Belly Black' Shiraz 2006
4 Star Review
"Eucalyptus, spicy oak and boysenberry jam aromas waft from the glass of this fleshy and full-flavoured red. The up-front fruit flavours, consisting of briary berry and spicy black plum, are ripe juicy and warm (14.5% alcohol). There's also a spine of moderating acidity that's introduced through a tangy red cherry flavour. The texture is silky smooth while the finish is medium length and beautifully balanced."
The Wine Cask Blog - 12.4.08
Red Belly Black 2004 Shiraz
"Black cherry hue with pronounced ripe fruit with black raspberry, plum, slight chocolate touch, quite nice!
In the mouth this S. Aussie wine has some character with a sweetish palate of ripe plum, chocolate cherry hints that is easy to drink and tasty.
At this price point $10, this wine stands out better than the ubiquitous Aussie Shiraz's that all taste the same. Raise a glass to a decent Shiraz at this price."
The Toronto Star - 2.4.08 - Gord Stimmell
'We've just tasted more than 140 wines available in most LCBO stores. The three featured here were among a dozen that rose to the top of the class.'
Angove's Red Belly 2006 Black Shiraz (Australia) - Rated 90 Points
'Big-hearted flavours make you want to fire up the barbie for special guests. The upfront aromas show opulent black cherry, cassis and smoked meat. On the palate, minty layers of chocolate, black cherry and vanilla bean unfold. The cedar spine lingers long into the ripe, fleshy, cherry finish. Definitely a keeper, mate.'
Midwest Wine Connection USA - March 2008
Red Belly Black Shiraz 2005
87 Points
"Quite Leggy. Lots of Cherry. She got the way to me, Cherry."