Joe & Mio's Blog
Some of you may remember us from the store when we lived in there with Mio managing and Joe pouring tastings. We have been removed from the store a bit lately as many of you know I have been sent to Nagoya, Japan with my company. We are enjoying our time in Nagoya and having some exciting wine experiences in Tokyo and around the world. Keep an eye on this space for some wine fun, cigar fun, travel, and the occasional odd comment here and there.
Kaesler - Beautiful Old Vines
February 25, 2009
South of Nuriootpa the beautifuly Estate
of Kaesler is in the
heart of Barossa. One of the tastings we really looked
forward to on our trip was this famous winery. As we drove
up we saw the gnarly old vines bordering the road as the
anticipation rose of the upcoming tasting. Kaesler is one
of the oldest wineries in the valley, established in 1893 the
Kaesler family has been a major part of the Barossa wine scene
for most of its history. The winemaking at Kaesler draws upon
years of experience with the fruit and the terrior.
They are probably best known for the
"Old Bastard" Shiraz from vines
planted in 1893, there are only a handful of people in the world
alive from when these vineyards were planted. Kaesler has
access to some of the best old vine fruit in all of the Barossa
and has the skills to make it elegant yet powerful.
The tasting room is beautifully set in brick with an elegantly
meandering counter. The staff was warm and invinting as
well.
As we started our tasting we were amazed at what was open!
We tasted through the following great wines;
2007 Old Vine Reisling
Kerosene on the nose with a hit of fruit just like a great
wine from Alsace. The palate is chalky with a hint of lime
giving way to a slightly austere, but enjoyable finish.
2007 Old Vine Semillion
Citrus on the nose this wine draws you in. The palate is
nothing but a truly green apple that lingers on through the end
of this wine.
2008 Viognier
Wild yeast fermented, this wine has bright acid with floral
notes. The finish is an enjoyable astringent that leaves
the teeth dry.
2006 Stonehorse GSM
$16.99(R)/$14.44(C)
A pretty berry nose introduces you to this lush fruit forward
wine. The palate is silky smooth with a hint of spice and
pepper around the edges. The finish is seductive and
satisfying. 90RP
2006 Avignon GSM
$24.99(R)/$21.24(C)
Berries assault the nose in this powerhouse. The mouthfeel is
elegant with bright bunches of black cherry and strong tannins.
Finishes long with earthen notes, would benefit greatly from
age.
2006 Stonehorse Shiraz
A unique combination of berry, mint, and eucalyptus giving way
to a lush palate of smoke, bacon, and black fruit. The
finish is a bit sharp, but the tannins indicate this will
continue to develop amazingly.
2006 The Bogan Shiraz
$59.99(R)/$50.99(C)
Tight and shy on the nose this is still young. Beautiful black
fruit and spice grace the palate rounding out with the vanilla
from the American oak. The finish leaves a lingering spice.
2006 Old Vine Shiraz
Vanilla on the nose hints at the strong oak to come, just a hint
of smoke adds a layer to that already elegant scent. The
palate is hedonistic with lush fruit, bacon, vanilla. The
finish is euphoric due to the high alcohol content. This
wine finishes young, but will benefit from 5-10 years of age.
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
$26.99(R)/$22.94(C)
Cherry nose with cassis and currant. A somewhat young mouthfeel
with dark fruit, spice and strong tannins. This wine is
definitely a cellar gem as it will develop into an elegant
winner!
2006 Patel Shiraz
A special vineyard, the Patel is a stunner. It is inky
with smoke and deep black fruits on the nose almost like a
candied plum. The palate is deep and complex with mixtures
of fruit and spice mingling with each other. The finish
tastes rasiny with a long full length. We ended up taking
3 bottles home of this beauty.
As we left the tasting room we took a short look at the
vineyard. The vines were
amazing with every twist and turn showing the experience of the
vine. Kaesler was a solid lineup and I wouldn't hesitate
purchasing any of their wines.