2002 Turkey Flat Butcher’s Block

The Barossa Valley comes thru again with another Rhone-style winner. This one is a MSG not a GSM. That’s right, heavier on the Mourvedre and lighter on the Grenache. Does it matter? Absolutely not. If you are into Rhones and Rhone-styles, give this a shot. I know I’m headed back for a repeat.

The first hit is the beautiful raspberry color and a nose that exudes cocoa, leather, cherry, and pepper. Give it a swirl and then give it a taste. More of the same flavors explode on the palate and then finish with a bit of heat and spice. All I can say is WOW !

2002 Navarre Knights Valley Cabernet Franc

$50

It’s wines like this one that will ruin Cabernet Franc’s image as being only a blending grape.

Dark purple in color with a clear ring around the outside. This one could probably stand to age a couple of years or twenty. It has lovely dried or dark cherries and tobacco in the nose.

Very nice, well balanced flavors of dark cherry, plum, tobacco, a hint of blueberry. It finishes nicely with perhaps just a touch of pepper at the end.

This wine is quite nice.