Friday's holiday tasting will be the McWilliam's Hanwood series of wines from 4-8 pm. McWilliam's is one of the oldest wineries in Australia (more than 130 years), sourcing its grapes from four different vineyard sites throughout Australia: New South Wales, Victoria, Margaret River in Western Australia and Coonawarra in South Australia.
The Hanwood Estate wines originate principally from the New South Wales region of Australia. Winemaker James McWilliam founded the winery there in 1917, and it has been in continuous operation ever since.
The tasting today will feature the Pinot Grigio, Shiraz and Merlot.
The Shiraz is crimson red with purple hues. This wine shows dark black fruit aromas of plum combined with spice and vanillin oak. The supple yet generous palate is dominated by rich, plum and raspberry fruit flavors with hints of spice and vanilla. The wine is soft and well balanced with and a lingering, fruit focused finish.
The McWilliam's Merlot is very nicely balanced in several key respects. The nose is warm, led by cassis, black plum, a touch of prune and some blackberry, backed up by the fragrance of cigar box, vanilla and some clove. Cranberry and blackberry lead the fruit, with acidity in pace, along with notes of chocolate, vanilla and tobacco. The fruit is ripe and well focused, but this is no one-dimensional fruit-forward wine. The supple tannins add another voice to the fugue, the sweet oak notes yet another. The finish is solid, with good tartness and lasting, well-integrated tannins.
Want to know about the McWilliam's Pinot Grigio? This is the newest wine added to the McWilliam's Hanwood line-up. How does it taste? Well, you'll just have to come in between 4-8 and try it yourself.
