St. Hallett

Already over 50 B.C. wineries have signalled they will be in Victoria to compete against this year's chosen contender Australia. Never one to shun a challenge an amazing 37 Down Under wineries have agreed to show up on Vancouver Island. Along with standout local producers such as Burrowing Owl, Mission Hill and Tinhorn Creek, festival Chair Glenn Barlow has announced the debut of Victoria Estate Winery and Pentage, a farm winery located on the eastern edge of Skaha Lake. From Down Under Barlow confirms the likes of Penfolds, Rosemount, Greg Norman, Peter Lehman, Haselgrove and a long list of impressive boutique producers. Many difficult, if not impossible to find wines (from both B.C. and Australia) will be available for tasting and in an rare display of retail savvy the BCLDB will host an on-site liquor store allowing attendees to buy what they like before they head home. Based on last week's sold-out Australia Day tasting one winery booth sure to be swamped is Barossa Valley-based St. Hallett. St. Hallett has enjoyed some impressive success of late in B.C. because the wines are fun to drink and believe it or not prices for all new releases have gone down in 2002. Let's see now, a popular winery that is selling everything they shipped into the B.C. returns to the market with new vintages at lower prices. Pinch me I must be dreaming. This week the liquor distribution branch will release 950 cases of assorted St. Hallet labels in government liquor stores, restaurants and private wine shops, here's my review, Semillon-Sauvignon blends continue to make inroads in Vancouver as consumers gravitate toward un-oaked, fruit-driven, white wine. The St. Hallet version has a fresh lemon/lime zest nose mixed with passion fruit and grapefruit aromas. The flavours are similar but the texture is rounder and the smooth finish has an apple/lime aftertaste. A fine value that is a perfect match for fresh shucked oysters. The Poacher's Blend made with sémillon, riesling, chenin blanc and chardonnay has lemon, green pea, mineral and pear aromas. It too is round and soft with a touch of residual sugar in its pear/apple flavours and fig/mango aftertaste. Serve this with spicy Asian food. The Gamekeeper's Reserve is a blend of Rhone-based grenache, shiraz, mourvèdre with the unusual addition of a Portuguese grape variety touriga. It opens with spicy, peppery, mushroom aromas and gamey, blackberry tones. The textures are soft and round. The fruit is an appealing mix of ripe, berry jam, spice, pepper and earth. Ready to drink. The cabernet was my least favourite with its pencil lead, smoky leather, bell pepper, bacon and resiny aromas. The attack is slightly alcoholic but the textures are St. Hallett - round and soft. Look for tart blackberry and black cherry flavours and some astringent oaky tannin in the finish. More time in the bottle should help to smooth out the edges. Faith is the ready-to-drink shiraz from St. Hallet showing a gamey/plum fruit nose mixed with spice and pepper. The flavours are a jumble of weedy/cassis fruit with vanilla (American Oak) and mocha streaks throughout. You'll find it soft, round and warm on entry with intense, rootsy, forest floor, and black plum fruit flavours. Fun to drink. The Blackwell Shiraz is a mix of both Barossa and Eden valley fruit which ramps up the aromas with more vanilla/mocha overtones and sweaty, saddle leather and blackberry fruit. Huge peppery meaty fruit flavours fill the palate with a smoky vanilla spicy stewed blackberry fruit finish that is almost port-like. Ripe tannins will dissipate in a year or two. Blockbuster Oz. Since its inception in 1980, Old Block Shiraz has been made with the best grapes from the winery's oldest Barossa vineyards, averaging 70 to 100 years old. Rich ripe, smoky bacon fat aromas mix effortlessly with plenty of earthy, rootsy, vanilla, and blackberry fruit. There is fine balance here with fresh, ripe fruit flavours and a firm structure. The finish is long with smoky chocolate, vanilla, blackberry and licorice flavours. Excellent value. For more information on the four-day Victoria Festival of Wine checkout the website: www.victoriafestivalofwine.com or call 250.995.2665. For ticket information call: (250) 386-6121 or 1 (888) 717-6121. WEEKEND WINE TASTING: St. Hallett, Barossa Valley, Australia: Wine Semillon - Sauvignon Blanc 2001 Price $15.40 Stock No. 721582 Score 14/20 Remarks Fresh clean zippy fruit. Wine Poacher's Blend 1999 Price $14.95 Stock No. 535963 Score 14/20 Remarks A match for spicy Asian dishes. Wine Gamekeeper's Reserve 1999 Price $15.95 Stock No. 532176 Score 14.5/20 Remarks Soft round, ready-to-drink. Wine Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 Price $20.90 Stock No. 729723 Score 14/20 Remarks Solid if unspectacular cab. Wine Faith Shiraz 1999 Price $20.90 Stock No. 729657 Score 15.5/20 Remarks Vanilla, plums and cassis. Wine Blackwell Shiraz 1998 Price $26.90 Stock No. 729798 Score 17/20 Remarks Smoke, blackberries and vanilla. Wine Old Block 1998 Price $37.90 Stock No. 729863 Score 18.5/20 Remarks Classic old-vine shiraz.