Chris Shanahan: Wine review – Magpie Estate, Rolf Binder and Tahbilk

Rolf Binder Eden Valley Riesling 2013 $22
In 1955 Rolf Binder senior and his wife Franziska bought a winery on Langmeil Road, Tanunda, and named it Veritas. In 2005, Rolf Binder junior renamed the winery in memory of his later father. Binder now makes the red wines while his sister, Christa Deans, looks after the whites, including this impressively tasty and delicate riesling. Sourced from two vineyards on the western side of the Eden Valley, it presents a most delightfully pure, floral and citrus varietal aroma. These characters come through on the intense, delicate, dry palate. This is a beautiful riesling with good cellaring potential as well as drink-now appeal.

Magpie Estate Barossa Valley The Schnell Shiraz Grenache 2010 $20
Barossa winemaker Rolf Binder and UK wine man Noel Young created the Magpie Estate wine brand in the 1990s as a vehicle for Barossa-grown Rhone Valley varieties, shiraz, grenache and mourvedre. Binder says The Schnell is one of their most popular blends globally, though one wonders why the 2010 remains available when the market is generally full of 2012s. The wine offers the rich, full, spicy flavours of shiraz, lifted by aromatic, soft grenache. A backbone of sturdy tannins gives satisfying grip to the finish.

Tahbilk Nagambie Lakes Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 $17.09–$24
Tahbilk’s long-lived, medium bodied cabernet comes with a mother load of tannins – sturdy, grippy tannins that permeate the underlying fruit flavours, giving a satisfying, chewy texture. In the 2010 vintage, those tannins seem even more prominent than usual. Though the underlying fruit flavour provides an offsetting sweetness, tannin defines Tahbilk cabernet and account in large part for its great longevity. Serve the wine with juicy, pink lamb or beef, though, and the protein strips away the tannin to reveal the ripe, blackcurrant-like varietal flavour.