Wine Reviews

BlackJack Block 6 Shiraz 2003

26 January 2006

 BlackJack Wines were established in 1988 in Bendigo’s Harcourt Valley by winemakers Ian McKenzie and Ken Pollock with their first wines being released in 1994.

This newly released estate-grown red was made with fruit that produces a distinctly different Shiraz style that consumers are currently used to enjoying.

Ian and Ken set out to emphasise the importance of terroir in this wine and what ensues is a savoury and Rhone-like nature and as such is different to the sweet ripe fruit style that is commonplace.

What we get is an elegant and classy red, matured in American oak barriques for 22 months and which emanates crimson purple cherry red colours with essences of fruit spice as well as dominant yet complex rich berry aromas.

The blackberry and cherry flavours then flow onto the palate with a lingering finish and accompanied by soft fine tannins.

The wine should cellar between 7-10 years and would be perfect with char grilled aged rump steak. Interestingly this wine has already demonstrated its worth by making the Jimmy Watson taste-off at last year’s Royal Melbourne Show.

An excellent wine with a promising future and well priced at around $35 for a wine of this ilk.

Paul Ippolito
Paul Ippolito Talks Wine