Kay Brothers Amery Hillside Shiraz 2004, McLaren Vale.
Deep ruby core, medium garnet rim. It is still a fiery (15.5%) wine but it works fine: soft and plump, nougat and roasted nuts. The tail is broad and fiery, spicy with tobacco and dried fruit. Compared to the 2006(which is more floral, fresher) and 2005(which is slightly riper, rounder and gives more) , this 2004 Kay Brothers Amery Hillside Shiraz reflects terroir(minerality) and tertiary tones(leather, tar, dark chocolates), and is slightly more complex the other 2 vintages.
Like its vintages 2005 and 2006, this 2004 scored really well: RP93, JH94, Waterfront 95.
Three points worth noting. Hillside was planted with cuttings from the famous flagship Block 6 Shiraz (selling from HK$700 up). This Block 6 Shiraz comes from centurion vines planted in 1896.
Amery Hillside then uses 50% of the used oak from Block 6 the elder brother’ and employs 50% new mixed Barriques(French, American and Bulgarian). Other stylistic influencers of this Hillside are: fruit driven philosophy of the wine making team, and technical applications such as open tank fermentation; soft, basket-press, small barrels.
28 months in oak have conditioned the bright black cherries on the nose and flavors of blackberry spices (fennel, nutmeg and pepper), vanilla and milk the primal and the right public way- just wealthy without ever becoming sticky, and is never sweetish. But there is no oak monster here the fruit and oak blend well together to make a very interesting whole!
