Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2009 The Little Venise Shiraz has notes of creme de cassis, earth, mocha, damp loam, musk and moss with nuances of truffles and iron ore. Very full bodied and densely packed in the mouth, it has a firm level of chewy tannins, crisp acidity and a long and earthy finish. Approachable now, it should open further in a year or two and drink to 2022+. The d’Arenberg winery is 100 years old with a fourth generation Osbourne in charge today of this now considerable operation. Graduated from Roseworthy College in 1983, Chester was expected by his father to change things when he took over the family business. Instead he went back to tradition rather than modernizing. In the d’Arenberg vineyards there is no cultivating, fertilizing or herbicides used – Chester compares these artificial means to growing plants hydroponically. Looking to continually improve the root systems of his vines, he rarely irrigates. Average yields are 1.7 tons per acre. “2011 was actually a great year for us,” Chester informed me. “We didn’t have any problems with rot.”Importer: Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA, www.oldbridgecellars.com

Focused, tight, harmonious and complex, offering a straight shot of cherry, tobacco, mineral and spice flavors that keep singing through the long, vivid finish. Best from 2014 through 2020. 200 cases imported.??–HS??Region: Australia / McLaren Vale Select to Add