2014 Kay Brothers Amery Vineyard Block 6 Shiraz: Ancient Australian Vines

During the last few years, I've bought or drank very few Australian wines, having been turned off by the large amount of jammy fruit bombs that country seemed to produce for a time. I didn't want a sledgehammer of wine to assault my palate, but I rather desired wines with more subtlety and complexity. Maybe it's time to reconsider the wines of Australia, to ascertain whether there has been a change in the type of wines they make. The 2014 Kay Brothers Amery Vineyard Block 6 Shiraz certainly has opened my eyes to the possibilities.

The Kay Brothers winery was initially established back in 1890 by brothers Herbert & Frederick Kay, and it is now the oldest winery in the McLaren Vale that is still owned by the founding family. The 3rd and 4th generations of the family now control the winery, including Herbert’s grandsons Colin and Bill. Their Amery Vineyard, consisting of about 22 hectares, was purchased back in 1890 and is located in the foothills of the Southern Mt. Lofty Ranges. Their vineyards are planted with grapes including Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Mataro & Muscat Blanc. There are a relatively small winery, producing only about 12,000 cases annually.

I was intrigued by an interview I read in BeverageDynamics (February 17, 2018) with Michael Wehrs, the sales and marketing manager for Kay Brothers. Wehrs stated, "Australian shiraz used to be these big juicy fruit bombs. There was a time when we made wines for that certain palate. Today, those producers might not even recognize our shiraz. We've toned it down, focusing more on acidity and the refreshing quality on the end of the palate. Australian shiraz is no longer the jammy fruit bombs of Yellow tail."

Was this the case? Had there been a turnaround in Australia, at least with some producers? If so, would these new wines be exciting and compelling? Was it time to revisit Australian Shiraz?

I received a media sample of the 2014 Kay Brothers Amery Vineyard Block 6 Shiraz ($119.99), a 100% Shiraz from the ancient Block 6 plot, which was planted in 1892. 122 year old vines! This special plot is only four acres and was first vinified separately back in 1984. This wine, with a 14.5% ABV, aged for at least 22 months in 1/3 new, 1/3 second, and 1/3 third use French and American oak puncheons. Only 3600 bottles of this wine were produced.

The wine benefits from some decanting, to give it some time to open up. It possesses a rich, crimson color and an alluring nose of spice and black fruit. On the palate, the wine is elegant and silky smooth, with a complex melange of concentrated flavors of plum, black cherry and raspberry, with a strong spicy backbone, well integrated tannins, and pleasing acidity. It is well balanced with a long, lingering finish that completely satisfies. This is no where close to a jammy, fruit bomb but rather the type of high quality wine that seduces your senses. Paired with filet mignon, this was an excellent accompaniment, a no-brainer pairing that elevated the dinner.

If this is an example of what is now coming out of Australia, I really do need to revisit Australian Shiraz. This is definitely a splurge wine, one worth the price, so I want to check out some more affordable Australian wines to see if change has occurred.