Gulf Station Shiraz Viognier Press Reviews
Gulf Station Shiraz Viognier 2006
91 points
"Bright ruby. Seductive, impressively complex bouquet evokes raspberry, cassis, violet and olive tapenade. Clean and sharply focused, offering sweet red and dark berry flavors and a suave undercurrent of smoky minerals. Finishes with excellent clarity and refreshingly bitter berry skin flavors. There's an understated quality and an element of energy to this wine that are very appealing."
Josh Raynolds - Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, September/October 2008 – Issue 140
94 points
“Highly scented and spicy; vibrant and medium-bodied, with clarion-clear line and length to its effusive red fruits, fine tannins and subtle oak.”
James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2009
"Charming and sophisticated, this fragrant and peppery little Yarra Valley number has bright red fruits on a lithe frame and drinks like a champion. How do they do it for the price?"
Gary Walsh, Inside Out, 1 June 2008
88 points
"Lithe and vibrant, with pretty floral overtones to the currant and plum flavors, hovering over the relatively delicate finish. Drink now through 2013. 5,000 cases made."
Wine Spectator, 29 February 2008
"Good weight of red fruits. Hint of jam. The palate is fresh, but a little simple."
Winewise, February 2008
93 points
Better than the 2005 I think. Very fragrant offering a mix of sweet small berries, pepper, grilled meat and an aniseed perfume. On the palate medium bodied and a little more serious than first impressions suggest. It’s meaty, spicy and peppery with tangy red berries, stalks and a little dollop of vanilla oak. Dry and lightly grippy tannins coupled with sappy acid give this real vigour and energy in the mouth. Finishes dry and long with a redcurrant and dried herb aftertaste. How do they do it at the price?
Gary Walsh, (www.winorama.com.au), 29 January 2008
"Ripe, ripe, spicy, berry fruit aromas. Soft, round, fruit palate with cleansing
tannins and sweet oak."
Winestate, New Releases, November/December 2007
94 points
"...Highly aromatic, scented and spicy; a vibrant palate with clarion clear line and length to its effusive red fruits, fine tannins and subtle oak.
James Halliday, Top 100 Weekend Australian, 10 November 2007
86 points
"The 2006 Shiraz - Viognier Gulf Station contains 5% Viognier. It was aged for 10 months in 20% new French oak It is purple-colored with blueberry muffin aromas uplifted by the Viognier component. Elegantly styled, the wine is firmly structured with tannin lingering into the finish. A few years in bottle should round the wine out and it will provide pleasure through 2017. De Bortoli owns estate vineyards in Riverina, Hunter Valley, and Yarra Valley and produces several tiers of dry table wines in addition to their sweet and fortified dessert wines."
Robert Parkers Wine Advocate #173, October 2007 - Reviewed by Dr Jay Miller
Gulf Station Shiraz Viognier 2005
90 points
"Ruby-red. Aromas of smoked meat, raspberry and blackberry preserves and licorice offer impressive clarity. Fresh red berry flavors are given depth by espresso and bitter chocolate, with youthful tannins adding structure. Fruit dominates today but there's enough stuffing to repay cellaring."
Josh Raynolds , Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar ( USA ), July/August 2007
Top in Category
"Vibrant, lifted, peppery nose that reeks of chocolate and raspberries, apricots and spices. Silky-rich in the mouth. Elegant, well-structured palate with redcurrant fruit, tight acid and fine tannins."
Winestate, Yarra Valley tasting, September/October 2007
94 points
"A powerful, yet elegant, wine stacked with black cherry and blackberry flavour, the oak barely evident. Gold medal National Wine Show 2006."
James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2008
"The popular shiraz viognier combination is taking Australia by storm and with wines such as this on offer, it's hardly surprising. De Bortoli has crafted a seductive rendition with plenty of fragrant lift, warm dark berry fruit and sweet pastry aromas. The palate is smooth and effortless, swirling with dark fruit flavour, some spice and toasty oak, fine tannins and superb balance."
Nick Stock, Qantas The Australian Way, July 2007
92 points
"A popular new style often enjoyed by Gen X. Spicy Yarra shiraz touched with a few per cent of white viognier, gorgeous plump fruit and doubly soft. easy to drink."
Courier Mail, 12 June 2007
Recommended
"A ripe dark berry style that shows some oak and has a good, firm tannin backbone."
Winewise, 25 February 2007
92 points
"Aromas of sweet red cherry, blackberry, roast meat, flowers and spice. On the palate fine and medium bodied with a smooth spread of gentle ripe tannins and flavours of cherry, blackberry, meat, vanilla and spice. It is clean and fresh with a delightful savoury character. Finishes dry and savoury. Supremely stylish and blindingly good value."
Gary Walsh, Winorama (winorama.com.au), 9 January 2007
90 points
"A lovely nose: blackberries, red plums, glace fruits, with some spice and earth. The palate is nicely fruited, fresh and grapey with blackberries, red cherries and plums, savoury nuances and some dried herbs. There was a bit of reduction but that blew off pretty quickly. A lovely Shiraz, showing some cool climate restraint, some dried herbs and not a peppercorn or dried apricot in sight. Top stuff."
Lincoln Scott, Winorama (winorama.com.au), November 2006
"Adding a touch of the white viognier to shiraz to give the fruit a lifted perfume character has become one of Australia's trendy wine styles. In this case the two grape varieties were co-fermented rather than being blended later. Berries, spice and savoury oak form the flavour mix. The wine has fair complexity and a good finish. Regular followers of the Gulf Station range will need to look for an updated, white-background label."
Mike Burnett, Launceston Examiner, 29 November 2006