I have added all of the text of the 2010 Rusty Mutt Shiraz tasting notes from various sources and dropped them into a 'Tag Cloud' generator. This creates a visualisation of the most frequently used words in the text. I'm thinking of using it in some of my point of sale material rather than the traditional 'tasting note'. What do you think?

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Rusty Mutt Shiraz 2010

This is the second release since the debut vintage Rusty Mutt 2006. Two very different wines reflecting two different vintages. Admittedly, I looked at the '06 with six years bottle age behind it.

Hand picked and aged in older French oak, there is plenty of blackberries and peppery spice which played a big role in this wine. Plums also got in on the act.

There was a fair whack of wood although it was not over bearing. The mouthfeel suggested there were several years of aging potential in the wine too. And to that, I'd suggest its best drinking will be in two years time.

Grab one and hang on to it as time will be it's friend.

Available online or through a few outlets in Melbourne and Adelaide.

Who: Rusty Mutt http://www.rustymutt.com.au/
What: Shiraz (14.5% alc)
Where: McLaren Vale
When: 2010
How: $27.50

View the post on the QWine site.

This was a first for my bride and I, as it was our first wine sample submitted for review without spending our own cash to purchase, or, wine being shared by friends. Thanks to @rustymutt for having some faith in my process and style of review, let’s hope that the team from @rustymutt enjoys.

The wine sample made it to the safety of the wine scooter H.Q. just a matter of days before Christmas after floating around the local post office for a few days, so after giving the wine a few days to compose itself, we opened the 2010 shiraz at the scooter family Christmas lunch. It was one of those occasions that were the full tragedy of Christmas fair.

So on this occasion there were in fact 10 reviewers involved in tasting the wine at Christmas lunch, this is how it panned out.

Bright crimson colour around the edges with a medium to deep colour. Mulberry, ripe dark plum and cherry with just a hint of liquorice aromas leaping from the glass. On entry the wine was cool and rounded showing hints of candied red and black fruit with oak in support with fine tannin nice balance with acid and a little warmth to finish. This wine does finish a tad short, but I wouldn’t let that stop me from tucking into this Shiraz by any means, it is a ripe flavoursome wine with plenty of varietal character from it's region and plenty to offer a wide range of food, as I experienced on Christmas day.

So the result from the Christmas lunch table of the @rustymutt 2010 Shiraz; 9 out of 10 people enjoyed this wine with our lunch on Christmas day, the one that didn’t like it was the moscato drinker, enough said, so I guess the result was clear.

On the strength of this wine, every dog has its day. It won't be long before the rusty mutt has it's day! 
 
“Don’t take my word for it! Grab a bottle and make up your own mind!”
 
Winemaker/s: Dog Day wines

Label: Rusty Mutt 2010 shiraz / www.rustymutt.com.au

Region/s: McLaren vale

How much: $26.50 online store

Source: Sample from Rusty Mutt Wines

Availability: South Australia, Victoria (Check website for stockists or online store)

"Let the good wine roll"

There's plenty to like about this drop. The funky label builds intrigue, the distinct sense this wine was made with pride, and the price is pretty handy too. For a 2006 vintage to be thrown around at $26 that is quality is simply silly buggers!

The fruit was hand picked and wine made with minimal intervention. Two tonne open fermenters were used and the cap was plunged twice daily. Old French oak (4-5 years) was used for 18 months so the fruit could take centre stage. To maximise what is in the glass, no filtration.

Aromas of rustic earthiness, black fruits, cracked pepper, sweetish oak and a dash of licorice whip up the tail. Plenty going on to arouse the senses!

Medium bodied, the structure and those rustic earthy flavours appealed to me. Licorice characters make a subtle appearance at the end whilst a little oak sweetness drifts past ever so gently. Fine tannins and impressive length finish off the wine beautifully.

Jump on the website an give it a crack. You won't be disappointed. 

Here is the original review on the QWine Blog

Well it's not a big review (!) but it says the right things! If you can't view the image, the text is as follows;

"Intense plum and licorice aromas developing nicely and with fresh, sweet flavours, and very good oak integration"

The image is taken straight from the Winestate Magazine on sale now.

The star ratings have an element of value to them, so you cannot compare away from the price bracket in which they are judged. However, my members receive quite a discount off the $27 I submitted with the sample.

At the recent Winestate Worlds Greatest Shiraz Challenge, 726 Shiraz and Shiraz predominant blends were tasted and judged. Out of the 726 wines, only 493 were awarded 3 or more stars and will be reviewed in the September/October 2012 Winestate Magazine Edition.

I was cautious, there was a ‘Beware of the Dog’ sign and I thought I could sneak in, but then I was hit with the incredible nose, massive juicy fruit charging to the front gate yapping its head off. After that, I was glad I poured myself a large globe and took my time and get to know this puppy know as Rusty Mutt.

I was rewarded with a wine that settled down and rolled over to show me his beautiful plum-berry belly with a hint of pepper and soft tannins. With the subtle use of ‘old wood’ and low acidity, you end up with an extremely balanced wine that is smooth and loyal to the last drop.

It was obvious that high quality grapes had been used and this wine had been crafted by people who care and really love what they do. The guys are on the right track and if they keep doing what they’re doing then we have a serious world contender emerging.

This wine is ready to drink now and would certainly improve with careful cellaring, but why wait? Get some of this into you now; you’ll be barking mad not to.

Review by Sean Wessex-Brown 20-5-12
**Sean is a friend of mine (and I didn't have to pay him for this great review!)

Zoltan Heinrich ‏@zh1976 @rustymutt wow. Love it! Nicely balanced, loads of fruit, good oak coming thru, very easy to drink! :-) #mcvale #sawine

Rusty Mutt Shiraz 2006

I don't think I will ever tire of trying new wines or labels, though the former have proven tastier than the latter. This wine, a new wine from winemaker Scott Heidrich, is the "Rusty Mutt" thus joining a rich roll call of unusually named (dare I say South?) Australian wines. Basket pressed and matured in old oak barrels with fruit sourced from McLaren Vale (i.e. it has not been clobbered by oak) you can find it for around $25.

Purple in colour, the wine has a medium to pronounced intensity and rich aroma of white pepper, spices, herbs and to a lesser extent plum jam. On the palate, attractive medium length, spices, and a full bodied, pronounced intensity expression of spiced plum jam supported by medium tannins and seemingly quite firm at times acidity, which I would not wish to see any nervier. A smart and quite typical McLaren Vale shiraz. 87-88 points

Abv: 14%
Price: $25
Source: sample
Website: Rusty Mutt
Tasted: December 2011

The Grape Observer