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April 1, 2006
Oooh! Oooh! I almost forgot!
Last night I tried the 2004 Two Hands "Max's Garden Heathcote Shiraz", if only to see if Bella's magic has coattails. And the answer is .... yes! I would describe this wine as much like Bella's Garden, only slightly less so: from a structural standpoint, everything I liked about Bella's Garden was there, but in a perhaps slightly less pronounced fashion. Partly for that reason I am not convinced that this wine has the legs that Bella's Garden will, and recommend drinking it sooner. It probably could age some, but not that much and how much payoff would you get from it against the risk of overshooting its peak? On the other hand I could be wrong: what if this wine really does have the kind of legs I'm expecting from Bella's Garden? Will I be selling myself short by not laying down a bottle or two for 6-7 years????
It seems to me that there is only one sensible solution: buy and lay down 300 bottles, so that one can test one per week, for up to almost 6 years or so. If only to be careful: under this scheme, and with my stunningly honed palate, I will be able to detect when we have moved just one week past the peak, and can then quickly run down the remaining bottles at a pace of one to two per day, depending on the size of the remaining stock. This seems like the only responsible way out of the overshooting trap, wouldn't you agree?
Getting back down to brass tacks, the mix of fruit on the nose and tongue was unsurprisingly not exactly the same with Max's Garden, but it still offered a really nice range. It did not quite have the length of Bella's Garden, but that's OK: it is still a superb performer at its price point (about $50).
I'm not sure I agree with Wine Spectator's take on this wine:
TWO HANDS Shiraz Heathcote Max's Garden 2004 (91 points, $50)
Definitely on the tart side, with raging acidity against plum and prune flavors, finishing with a freshness that's tremendously appealing and should develop well with cellaring. Best from 2007 through 2015. 500 cases imported.
--Harvey Steiman
To be sure, there was some acid, but "raging"? At least in my bottle it was more restrained and in harmony with the rest of the notes in the wine. There are two possible explanations for the discrepancy:
a. Ordinary bottling variation, which admittedly can be substantial. I can recall having two bottles of the 1995 Vina Olagosa Gran Reserva Rioja opened at a dinner table on one occasion. They were so distinct you could hardly believe it was the same wine. And spoilage wasn't an issue: both bottles were excellent, but very, very different (in subtle and not so subtle ways).
b. Mr. Steinman: your supposed to spit out at tastings!
But seriously, though we travelled different roads with this wine Steinman and I arrive at the same destination: I think he is about right about 91 points.
Update: I have been asked if I really plan to buy 300 bottles at a cost of around $15,000. The answer is yes: I plan to buy 300 bottles at a cost of around $15,000. Will I actually do so? Uh, well...Noooo. You see, this disgracefully aging gentleman's best laid plans usually last only until the wife learns of them. For instance, that was the fate my heroic planned mission to eat 30 courses at 6 restaurants in just over 24 hours.
Since I have been married, the distinction between my planned and actual course of action has grown ever more acute.
Posted by dag at April 1, 2006 1:14 PM