Wine Review: Wirra Wirra Church Block 2004

This is the first in of what will hopefully be many, many a wine review. Most wines I intend to review will be local (South Australian) and under $40. I don’t know all the proper wine-reviewey stuff like “tastes of blackcurrant, cinnamon and sweat of a Labrador’s left bollock”, so I’ll keep it simple. Brief notes, stars (out of 5) and price. That kind of stuff. Most of the wines drunken by my partner and I are picked up from the cellar door, so they’re tested and tasted first, so to speak. That’s why there won’t be too many reviews like: “Nose of dehydrated, asparagus-eating cat’s urine. Palate of maggot-ridden road-kill.” Of course, a wine cannot be reviewed until at least a full bottle is consumed with friends, so there’s no cheating.

First up, Wirra Wirra Church Block 2004, an Australian classic. Wirra Wirra is a largish winery in McLaren Vale which produces a decent drop or two. By far its largest seller is Church Block. Price ranges between $17 to $24 a bottle and most bottleos stock it. The 2004 vintage is a blend of 48 % Cab Sav, 35 % Shiraz and 17 % Melot. As usual, it is shit hot. Smells great, excellent structure and perfectly blended. It’s young, but it’s drinking beautifully already. Like all McLaren Vale reds it has plenty of guts, with alcohol highish at 14.5 %. It certainly isn’t overpowered by food and will go well with whatever you like to eat when you’re drinking red wine. Do buy, you won’t be disappointed.

****1/2