Chris Shanahan: Wine review – Paxton, Vinaceous and Coppabella

Paxton AAA McLaren Vale Shiraz Grenache 2012 $17.10–$22
Our tennis, red wine and curry group tested David Paxton’s blend of shiraz and grenache with a range of spicy flavours, including fairly hot chilli. Generally we find fresh, fruity young reds with soft tannins retain their flavours and sit comfortably with a diversity of spicy flavours and food textures. Paxton’s wine sits square in this style, offering the bright, cherry-like aromas and flavours of shiraz, combined with the musk and spice of grenache. Chilli alone knocked the fruit out momentarily, but it bounced back deliciously and soon enough the bottle emptied.

Vinaceous Red Right Hand
Margaret River Shiraz Grenache Tempranillo 2013 $22.50–$25
The distinctive Vinaceous brand brings a colourfully labelled, vivacious range of wines to your dinner table. The striking “Red Right Hand” label portrays the naked-torso flame-thrower in action – which seemed appropriate as we slurped it down with the beef vindaloo and butter chicken. The vivacity of fruit carries this red joyously across the palate. It’s a festival of summer berry flavours and spice, with a savoury undercurrent and assertive though ripe and soft tannins. The distinctive tannins most likely come from the tempranillo component of the blend.

Coppabella Single Vineyard Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2012 $20
Jason and Alicia Brown of Moppity Vineyards, Young, added chardonnay to their menu by acquiring the Coppabella vineyard in the higher, cooler Tumbarumba region. They produce three chardonnays from the site: the very serious “Sirius” 2013 ($60), the taut, slow evolving (and sensational) “Crest” 2012 ($x, one trophy, two gold medals) and the classy, entry-level “Single Vineyard” 2012 (one gold medal). From a cool vintage in a cool region, it reveals the shimmering grapefruit- and nectarine-like varietal flavour of chardonnay beautifully woven in with the textural and flavour inputs of barrel fermentation and maturation. The price is likely to be discounted below the recommended $20.