Wine Access Magazine - John Szabo, Master Sommelier
4th Oct 08
DogRidge 2008 The Pup Sauvignon Blanc McLaren Vale
Sauvignon Blanc Clean, fresh, green tropical fruit notes, pineapple,
honeydew melon, key lime pie - ripe but not overtly herbaceous. Dry, medium
body, juicy acidity, pleasant youthful banana, lime, grapefruit and candied
green apple flavours, bright acidity and moderate finish. A pleasant,
refreshing wine designed for pleasure in the short term. Medium Bodied White
87 CAD$20.95
DogRidge 2006 The Pup Cabernet Merlot McLaren Vale
Cabernet Sauvignon Really inviting, ripe but not jammy black fruit and
distinctive spice, herbal, tobacco, black licorice - above average
complexity without excessive oak. Dry, fullish, soft, plush tannins,
balanced acidity, and moderate (for McLaren Vale) alcohol of 14%. This shows
a lot of style and class for the money in a food-friendly Cabernet-Merlot,
designed for short tho mid-term cellaring. Full Bodied Red 90
CAD$20.95
DogRidge 2006 The Pup Shiraz McLaren Vale
Shiraz/Syrah Sweet cacao, coffee and dark chocolate mingles with black
cherry liqueur, roasted plum and a lifted hint of eucalyptus. Dry, fullish,
fat and succulent sweet fruit, adequate acidity and soft plush tannins lend
this a highly appealing texture. Moderate finish. A well-made, clearly new
world style Shiraz that is ready to drink now or will hold 2-4 years or
more. Full Bodied Red 89 CAD$20.95
DogRidge 2006 Square Cut Cabernet McLaren Vale
Cabernet Sauvignon Still reticent on the nose, showing just a glimpse of
earth, tobacco spice, cassis, and ripe but not jammy black fruit. The wine
then opens with aeration to reveal additional layers of depth and
complexity. The palate is dry, firm, savoury, herbal, dark spice, with
intense flavours, moderate tannins, balanced acidity and enough class and
elegance to make this more interesting than the average. Full Bodied Red
91 CAD$35.95
Ref: The Centre for Vine Affairs
STEPHEN TANZER'S INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR
- DogRidge By Josh Raynolds Sep/Oct 08 (New York City)
2008 DogRidge The Pup Sauvignon Blanc McLaren Vale (US$17)
Light straw. Grassy citrus and apple on the nose, with a light kiss of
minerals adding further energy. Light and racy, with brisk lemon and
grapefruit flavors braced by dusty minerals. A refreshing, easy-to-drink
style that would be great with salads or fresh shellfish. 88
2006 DogRidge The Pup Cabernet/Merlot McLaren Vale (US$17; a
60/40 blend) Bright ruby. Spicy red- and blackcurrant aromas are given depth
by mocha and black tea. Becomes more floral with air, picking up fresh rose
and violet qualities. Lush and sweet, offering inviting raspberry and cassis flavors, with bright back-end acidity and no obvious tannins. Finishes with
good tangy persistence and a lingering berry skin quality. 88
2006 DogRidge The Pup Shiraz McLaren Vale (US$17) Bright ruby.
Jammy raspberry and blueberry on the nose, with suave floral and spice
qualities lending complexity. Juicy, finely focused red and dark berry flavors nicely blend sweetness and tangy cut, with no apparent tannins. The
energetic finish shows persistent dark berry flavors and very good clarity.
89
2005 DogRidge The Pup Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale
(US$17; a 50/50 blend) Bright ruby. Red and dark berry aromas are complicated
by pungent herbs and minerals, with a subtle tobacco quality gaining power
in the glass. Shows a deft balance of both varieties' character on the
palate, too, displaying sweet redcurrant, cherry and candied floral flavors.
Supple and sweet, with very good finishing lift and clarity. For the money
this is awfully suave. 89
2006 DogRidge Grenache Cadenzia McLaren Vale (US$30) Medium
red. Spicy red berries and cherry on the nose, with subtle white pepper,
floral and herb notes. A touch minty, with sweet redcurrant and strawberry flavors, light body and no tannins. Clean and brisk but a bit pinched, with
good finishing snap. I'd serve this with a light chill. 88
2006 DogRidge Square Cut Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale
(US$30) Inky purple. Deep red- and blackcurrant aromas are complemented by
cured tobacco and espresso, giving this wine a brooding quality. Firm cherry
skin and cassis flavors are brightened by juicy acidity and are curiously
tannin-free. More tangy red berry flavors come up on the finish, which is
refreshingly brisk, dry and long. 90
2006 DogRidge Shirtfront Shiraz McLaren Vale (US$30) Bright
red. Raspberry and boysenberry on the nose, with suave Asian spices and
fresh floral qualities adding interest. Supple red berry preserve flavors
expand and gain depth with air, showing good mineral snap on the back. The
sweet berry fruit harmonizes seamlessly with fine-grained tannins and
succulent herbs on the finish. You could drink this alluring wine now. 91
2005 DogRidge Petit Verdot Reserve McLaren Vale (US$60)
Ruby-red. Black cherry and cassis on the nose, along with subtle cracked
pepper and floral qualities. Deeper cherry preserve and plum flavors are
given a bitter edge by black cardamom. Plump and tannin-free, with good
finishing breadth and sweetness. This is surprisingly gentle for the
variety. 89
2005 DogRidge MVP Petit Verdot McLaren Vale (US$60)
Saturated ruby. Cherry and blackcurrant aromas are complicated by graphite,
anise and black cardamom. Firm, slightly bitter dark berry flavors pick up
espresso and cocoa with air, as well as tangy minerality. This is a bit
stern today, but there's plenty of deep, sweet fruit underneath the acids
and tannins, which fade on the lengthy finish. No way I'd touch one of these
for a few more years. 89(+?)
2005 DogRidge MVP Shiraz McLaren Vale (US$60) Inky ruby. Spicy
raspberry and cherry on the nose, with suave Asian spices and smoky minerals
adding nuance. Sweet red and dark berry flavors become spicier with air and
pick up a sexy cola quality. This is pretty suave, finishing with very good
persistence and an enticing note of candied flowers. 91
2004 DogRidge Original Plantings Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren
Vale (US$60) Inky ruby. Cherry-vanilla, boysenberry and flowers on the nose.
Sappy and sweet, with deep dark berry liqueur flavors and a strong slap of
vanillin oak. The fruit here is impressive but the sweet oak is beating it
up pretty badly today. 88?
2005 DogRidge Grand Old Brand New blend McLaren Vale (US$60; a blend of
42% each of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz with 16% petit verdot) Inky ruby.
Redcurrant and cherry on the nose, with cracked pepper and dried flowers
adding interest. A complex array of red and dark berry flavors combines
sweetness with succulent herbs and gains depth with air. Sweet vanillin oak
and black pepper notes arrive become more strident on the close. I like this
wine's richness and vivid fruit but find the oak a distraction. Will it be
absorbed? 89(+?)?
Ref:
Stephen Tanzer's International
Wine Cellar
Jamie Drummond is a
Canadian sommelier who oversees the wine program for Canadian
chef Jamie Kennedy's string of amazing Toronto restaurants.
Jamie Drummond & Fred Howard: having coffee and a glass of wine
while chewing the fat! Running Time: 1:13:54 | File size: 84.7MB Click
here to download the June 16, 2008 - Episode 23
SHARE A GLASS REVIEW: TORONTO
Sante Wine Festival - Saturday, April 12th, 2008, 12:14 pm
This year’s Sante was extraordinary and I can’t
wait to see what they have in store for us next year. The
International Tasting at the Carlu was, once again, a great
venue to check out over 70 different wineries from around
the world. Jerome Jeandin from Taittinger was as charming as
usual with his excellent knowledge and passion for the
Champagne at Taittinger. I had the opportunity to try the
Comte de Champagne 1998 and was blown away by it; the
extensive fruit on the nose and the brioche with lime jelly
on the finish was memorable. Another highlight of the
tasting was the opportunity to meet with DogRidge Wines,
winemaker, Fred Howard. His personality matches the playful
nature of DogRidge’s wines. Winning the Sante award for best
medium to full bodied red, the MVP Shiraz 2004 is a great
wine with a price tag that would daunt many consumers. I do,
however, love this wine and if you have a special occasion
coming up or if you want to impress someone on a first date,
this is a great wine to go with any hearty meal.
Australian Gourmet Pages
Franz Scheurer's
article on CADENZIA in his News & Views Newsletter January 2008
"Cadenzia
is a collection of Grenache-dominated wines, made by top McLaren Vale
winemakers. 'Cadenzia' (based on a musical term 'Cadenza', where the soloist
gets a rare chance to improvise) provides a platform for these producers to
collectively and co-operatively showcase McLaren Vale Grenache while
allowing each winemaker to do something different.
All have stelvin closures with the exception
of d'Arenberg who use the zork. All wines show a lifted Grenache bouquet
with wonderful, fruit forward red berry aromas, but they vary greatly on the
palate. The Gemtree with its forest floor, almost Pinot Noir-like flavours
is a real food wine, whereas the Tapestry is beautifully light and would
work well during an Aussie afternoon enjoying the sunshine on the terrace.
The Yangarra would benefit from being paired with gamey flavours
(Chinese-style drunken pigeon comes immediately to mind). d'Arenberg's
Cadenzia is probably the most complex wine in the line-up but it is, in my
opinion, far too young to drink. I'd never tasted an Oliver's Taranga
Vineyards wine before their Cardenzia, now I certainly recommend that you
try their Grenache. To my taste however the best wine in the line up was the
Dog Ridge, which looked a lot darker
than I expected, perhaps a result of the biodiversity and sustainable
viticultural practices employed at DogRidge's 'the Digs' vineyard. It is a
rich, full-bodied red that shows Grenache in a new light: bigger, bolder and
much more interesting. A food wine, it would marry well with game and be a
superb match for Swiss Gruyère."
Judged top Grenache at the 2007 McLaren Vale
Wine Show, Dog Ridge reveals the pretty side to the grape. Deep plum colour,
lifted scent of cherries, raspberries and floral aromas, this is a gentle,
spicy wine.
2007 Winegrapes Australia McLaren Vale Wine Show:
DogRidge Cadenzia Grenache 2005 - TOP SCORING
Grenache of show.
DAVID LAWRASON
The Lawrason E-REPORT: Nov 25 2006 in Toronoto, Canada
TRADE TASTING: DogRidge of Australia -
Digs Bare Bone Varietals
"Recently, a tenacious little winery from
Australia named DogRidge Vineyard
presented its wines to a few loyal
fans at the Fine Wine Reserve, a wine
storage facility and increasingly popular
small tasting venue (www.finewinereserve.com) in Toronto’s King and Spadina district. You may remember that DogRidge took top honours at
a Santé Wine Festival competition a
couple of years ago, essentially opening
the door to the Ontario
market. I’m sure you are
very confused by all the
doggie brands out there
– Bad Dog, Dog House,
Dog Point etc, - but let me
assure you DogRidge’s offerings
are not your typical
critter wines. This 7,000 case family enterprise in
McLaren Vale is actually
quite non-conventional
in terms of wine style.
As I warmed up for
the tasting, winemaker
Fred Howard
said he was
striving for “varietal
elegance,” a
throwaway line,
I thought, having
heard them
all. But the wines
are very much about the grapes - almost spareand bare boned compared to the general
gussied up character of so many
more commercial Australians. These
wines seemed virtually oak-free even
if not, and alcohol free too, even at
over 13%. We’re talking natural balance
here. I was suddenly getting a
gut level varietal essence of shiraz, of petit verdot, of chardonnay. They hit the palate crossways, not sliding down.
They made me reflect; and I liked the
dry, surprisingly not hot finish, despite
some being over 14% alcohol. Stand outs were the restrained, almost cool yet peppery DogRidge Cadenzia
Grenache 2005: (91 Points, CAD$29.45) from 65 year old bush vines; the unoaked, incredible naturally fruity
DogRdge Duck Chase Petit
Verdot 2005: (90 Points, CAD$29.45 January arrival) and
the unusual but effective
DogRidge Wylpena
Vineyard Chardonnay 2005: (89 Points, CAD$29.45)
blended with a touch of sauvignon
blanc.
All wines are on consignment
via Le Sommelier (www.lesommelier.com) a small, diligent, quality focused
agency founded by Bernard Stramwasser
about three years ago."
UK wine journalist Matthew Jukes at Portavin Touch Wine 06 in Adelaide, November 2006
2005 DogRidge Wylpena Vineyard Chardonnay, McLaren Vale, "This is a ‘Chablis-grown-ups’ wine with judicious use of French oak and a fine lift and separate on the palate. It is nice to see such a balanced wine and one that will benefit from a little age, growing into a superbly juicy, mineral-balanced wine.
2005 DogRidge Wylpena Vineyard Merlot, Tight plums and a firm finish make this a youthful number and a wine that shows great promise for the near future. There is a spiciness and momentum to this wine that really impresses and the Merlot fruit is spot on (which is rare in Aussie versions of this majestic grape). The oak is spot on, too showing the understanding and awareness of the team at the Ridge.
WINEWISE - Volume 22 Number 3
Judged by Ian McKenzie, Trina Smith and Andrew McEwin - August 2006
2003 DogRidge DV7 Shiraz: "Recommended .... this is a very good 2003. It’s quite perfumed and spicy, with good persistence and well balanced tannins. ($30.00) 15.0% Screwcap" click for reference
RIC EINSTEIN - T.O.R.B.
Reviewed at Wine Australia 2006;
DogRidge 2003 MVP Shiraz PlonkOz06 sells for $60. The winery's flagship, it is matured in a hundred percent French oak, which was noticeable on the bouquet, which showed dusty oak, lifted alcohol, coffee and abundance cedar. This is a serious wine with an impeccable structure and balance; silky, ultra-fine drying tannins are backed by pure fruit to form a muscular-weight, supple wine that is tight, and shows a modicum of class and elegance. Cedary oak, liquorice, black cherry spectrum fruit and coffee flavours finish with good persistence, but the wine needs time for the fruit to emerge from below the oak and gain further complexity and length. Rated as Highly Recommended with ** for value, the rating should improve as the wine matures around 2011 and well beyond.
Dog Ridge 2005 Duck Chase Petit Verdot PlonkOz06 sells for around $22. The wine is unoaked and shows intense aromatics and the deep fruit has loads of intensity and persistence, delivering liquorice, plum and musk flavours that finish with excellent length. A full-bodied wine that is worth considering for something different; I didn't mind it at all and think that it would be better with a good steak. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.
Dog Ridge 2004 The Pup Cabernet Merlot PlonkOz06 sells from about $16. The bouquet showed some VA, was savoury, fruit driven, and exhibited dark characters. With enough tannins to hold the wine together, the strong, fresh fruit is in control and delivers blackcurrant, liquorice and chocolate. An ample-weight wine with a soft consistency, and an almost seamless structure, makes this a very drinkable, fruit driven crowd-pleaser that is rated as Agreeable with *** for value.
Reviewed by Josh Raynolds - May/Jun 2006 2005 DogRidge Petit VerdotReserve McLaren Vale -
92 points ($35) - Glass-staining violet. Imploded red and dark berry liqueur on the nose, with intense violet and rose accents. With a little air, this explodes with exotic floral and mineral-tinged blackberry and ripe cherry fruit flavors, which are sharpened by juicy acidity and fine-grained tannins. Subtle mineral tones and a note of gingerbread accent the pure, sweet, long finish.
2005 DogRidge Cadenzia Grenache McLaren Vale -
91 points
($30) - Dark red. High-toned aromas of raspberry and strawberry liqueur, with subtle notes of mint and gingerbread. An intriguing blend of spices and sweet red berry fruit that builds and deepens with air, the fruit heading into darker, riper territory but maintaining excellent focus. Explosively sweet on the finish, the fresh raspberry and strawberry flavors wonderfully vibrant and precise. The clarity of fruit here is impressive. 2005 DogRidge Merlot Wylpena McLaren Vale -
89(+?) -
($35) Ruby-red. Bitter chocolate, red cherry and peppery spice notes on the nose, with a strong licorice overtone. Firmly structured cherry and rhubarb flavors slowly soften with air, gaining sweetness and depth with reluctance. Finishes on a juicy, concentrated cherry note, with fine, dusty tannins. 2005 DogRidge Duck Chase Petit Verdot McLaren Vale 90(+?)
($30) Inky ruby. Bitter cherry, fresh blackberry and smoked meat on the nose, with a gentle hint of black pepper. Firm and linear but with good weight and heft, the dark berry and cherry flavors plenty sweet but youthfully taut right now. Opens somewhat with aeration, but this is awfully young right now.
Ref:
Stephen Tanzer's International
Wine Cellar
Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine
100 Top New Releases, April/March 2006 issue;
2003 DogRidge DV7 Shiraz, McLaren Vale: 93 POINTS (5 STARS) $30 - "Several impressive reds have already
appeared under this new brand. A traditional Aussie Red, it has richness and sweet fruit as well as savoury flavours, liberal tannins and some viscosity. There's also a touch of elegance and very good drinkability - cellar for 6 years"
2004 DogRidge DV2 Grenache, McLaren Vale - 91 POINTS - (4 STARS) $25- "A slightly lighter hue and sweet, cooked fruit aromas of strawberry and raspberry point to Grenache. Touches of lolly confectionery. It's gentle rounded fruit-sweet and berryish in the mouth. Light, tight tannins. Combines grenache's fruity appeal with structure - cellar for 5 years"
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
GOOD LIVING LIFTOUT, GOOD DRINKNG - WINE by HUON HOOK, 21st February 2006 - Sydney, Australia
Top Aussie red: DogRidge DV3 Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 $32, "Outstanding McLaren Vale Cabernet: no doubt the cooler year helped. A deep, muscular, well structured cabernet with good varietal fruit, a lick of chocolate, lovely fleshy richness and a nice grip to finish. A long-termer. Best now to 15 years. Food: aged Reggiano cheese" click for reference
2006 SYDNEY INTERNATONAL WINE COMPETITION
"
This is the only major international wine competition that judges it's finalists alongside appropriate food"
DogRidge DV7 Shiraz 2003: BLUE/GOLD WINNER (tasted with food)
GOOD LIVING LIFTOUT, GOOD DRINKNG - WINE by HUON HOOK, 31st January 2006 - Sydney, Australia
Top Aussie red:
DOG RIDGE
DV7 SHIRAZ 2003 $30
"I’ve tasted several impressive
reds from this new McLaren
Vale brand. This was the pick.
A traditional Aussie red, it has
richness and sweet fruit as
well as savoury flavours,
liberal tannin and some
viscosity. A touch of elegance
and really very drinkable.
Drink now to 2012." click for reference
WINESTATE MAGAZINE
ANNUAL EDITION 2006 (WINESTATE’S BEST WINES OF 2005), January 2006 - Adelaide, Australia
DogRidge DV3
McLaren Vale Cabernet
Sauvignon 2003 - 5 STARS
"The nose is a huge
concentration of dark
chocolate, redcurrant, spices
and cedar oak aromas. The
delicious full, rich, fleshy palate
delivers an abundance of
flavours, plenty of length and
good tannin persistence. $30" click for reference
RIC EINSTEIN - T.O.R.B.
Reviewed in October 2005
DogRidge 2004 DV2 Grenache Oct 05 A small amount of VA that did not blow off; but it helped to deliver the lift to roast nuts, and coffee with a touch of underlying spice. The silky mouth feel is attractive and complements the wines inherent elegance. Medium-weight, there is nothing sweet about this wine at all, and the lively acid will complement food. The flavour profile is completely savoury with plum, coffee, heavily roasted nuts and milk chocolate; it’s an interesting wine that finishes with good persistence and will be even better with food. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.
DogRidge 2004 DCV Petite Verdot Oct 05 As the wine was sealed under Stelvin, it was allowed to breathe for some hours and looked out over a further two hours. Brooding floral notes and milk chocolate, the wine doesn't want to lift its skirts. Smooth, dusty tannins, balanced acid and distinct fruit are well-balanced and provide a firm consistency and solid structure for this muscular weight wine. There is a touch of sweetness to the flavour profile, but it is mainly savoury; dark chocolate, plum, pepper and a slight touch a bitter green is found on the finish. After eight hours of air time, and with spicy roast lamb, the wine had vastly improved. It's a nice red and something a bit different and will benefit from a couple of years the bottle age. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.
DogRidge 2003 DV7 Shiraz Oct 05 As the wine was sealed under Stelvin, it was allowed to breathe for some hours and looked out over a further two hours. A ripe and savoury bouquet showing spice, plum, pepper, chocolate and walnut scented oak. The silky mouth feel is very attractive and with its fruit-driven nature and agreeable complexity, this a very drinkable wine. Intense plum, loads of pepper, a touch of aniseed and finishing to bitter chocolate, it has good persistence but is short on the back palate. Ample-weight, the fruit is deep and strong and the acid noticeably fresh. Rated as Recommended with *** for value.
FOOD & WINE LIFTOUT - DRINKS by PHILP WHITE (PLAYING RED)
DogRidge CADENZIA2004 –McLaren Vale (91 points; $22; 15.5 per cent alcohol; Zork; Grenache, Shiraz, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay) "McLaren Vale shows it’s hand with another classic variety, this time the endearing and adaptable Grenache... Licorice, aniseed and musk give the top notes to this cutie, which is one of the more zany blends of the day. Below those pretty decorations, it’s all prunes and cream, deep, intense, furry – it reminds me of Vacqueyras, on the Rhone” click for reference , 28th September 2005 - Adelaide, Australia
JAMES HALLIDAY
Page 200 of his 2006 edition
Winery Rating: 4 STARS
DogRidge DV3 McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2002, VALUE: 4.5 GLASSES; "Oak a tad assertive on the bouquet, but the palate is rich and supple, with sweet black current, chocolate, vanilla and spice." Screwcap. RATING: 92, DRINK: 2017
DogRidge DV7 McLaren Vale Shiraz 2002, VALUE: 4.5 GLASSES; "Deep colour; dense black plum, dark chocolate and prune; tannins ad oak well controlled, though 15 alcohol nips a little. " Screwcap. RATING: 91, DRINK: 2022
DogRidge DV11 McLaren Vale Merlot 2002, VALUE: 4 GLASSES; "More regional than varietal; Black fruits, bitter chocolate and prune; mocha & vanilla; balanced tannins. " Screwcap. RATING: 89, DRINK: 2012
DogRidge CADENZIA McLaren Vale Grenache/Petit Verdot 2002, VALUE: 4 GLASSES; Good colour; Very different from DV2 Grenache, seeming not just from the 5% Petit Verdot component; a deeper, darker fruit register." Zork RATING: 87, DRINK 2008
UK wine journalist Matthew Jukes at the PORTAVIN TOUCH WINE CARNIVAL 2005
DogRidge DV7 Shiraz 2002: "DV7 is a tight, cool, wonderfully spicy red with cunning intensity and a long life ahead of it. Watch out for pastrami and blackberry jelly doing an unlikely tango on your tongue. I reckon this is a beauty and it will metronomically open up month by month. If you want to cheat and drink this chap in safety today decant it and swirl the glass until RSI forces you to stop and glug!” $30
Matthew Jukes, Adelaide – Oct, 2005.
RIC EINSTEIN - T.O.R.B.
Review at Wine Australia 2004;
DogRidge DV3 Cabernet Sauvignon 2002: Blackcurrant, mint and coffee dominate the bouquet. Ample in weight; almost seamless with a supple consistency the tannins are smooth but the wine is deceptively well balanced with a structure solid. Good quality fruit is the driving force in this wine and it shows as varietal blackcurrant, mint, chocolate and coffee finishing to tomato leaf characters but its ripe with the mid palate chocolate and coffee dominant. Easy to drink now, it is rated as Recommended with **** for value (based on the case price of $25 a bottle) it should improve till 2008+ and the rating should increase as it matures.
Dog Ridge Vineyard Sep/Oct 05 -
By Josh Raynolds 2005 Dog Ridge Chardonnay WV McLaren Vale: 88 -
(US$25) includes a dash of sauvignon blanc added for aromatic complexity) Pale straw. Spicy, anise-tinged pear and
ripe apple aromas, accented by pungent white flowers. Round but juicy and fresh, the spicy apple and pear notes
tinged with a firm talc and mineral edge. Finishes fresh, with a note of star anise. 2004 Dog Ridge Petit Verdot DCV McLaren Vale: 91 -
(US$30) Opaque inky color. Dense, brooding aromas of licorice, cherry confit, mulberry, bitter chocolate and
espresso. Concentrated and firm, with a solid but polished texture and flavors of cherry, dark plum, aged beef
and licorice candy. There are clearly tannins here but they melt into the building flavors of juicy cassis and
minerals. Impressively fresh and quite sweet, with bright, tangy fruit for such a concentrated wine. Imagine a
cross between Chateauneuf du Pape and Saint-Emilion. This is 15% alcohol, by the way. 2004 Dog Ridge Grenache Cadenzia McLaren Vale: 89 -
(US$27) Bright, deep red. Restrained aromas of dark raspberry and licorice. Quite sweet in the mouth, with
raspberry preserve and kirsch flavors and a supple, silky texture; this feels more like New World pinot than
grenache. Juicy, easygoing and long, with no tannic or bitter edges getting in the way of the gentle red berry
fruit. This is 15.5% alcohol but the fruit is bright and vibrant, not stewy. It's scary how easy it is to drink this fruit
bomb. 2004 Dog Ridge Grenache DV2 McLaren Vale: 90 -
($26) Medium red. Aromas of underbrush, sweet cherry, wild strawberry and mint. Moderately concentrated,
elegant flavors of raspberry and strawberry on a supple, silky frame. I'd have bet this to be a particularly refined
New World pinot. The strawberry note gains in depth and sweetness with aeration. Pretty and suave, particularly
for a wine carrying 15.5% alcohol. One could get in trouble with this. 2003 Dog Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon DV3 McLaren Vale: 89 -
($30) Dark red. Sweet, tobacco-laced aromas of blackcurrant, cherry, plum and spicecake. Push and round yet
juicy, with succulent dark berry and plum flavors. Finishes juicy and long, with a sweet, vibrant suggestion of
dark cherry. 2003 Dog Ridge Shiraz DV7 McLaren Vale: 88(+?) -
($30) Medium ruby. Blackberry, cherry, smoked meat and gunflint aromas are youthfully wound up and slow to
unravel. A chewy, structured midweight, with dark cherry, tobacco and subtle leather flavors. The building
tannins currently overshadow the fresh berry fruit, which keeps trying to poke its head out. 2002 Dog Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon DV3 McLaren Vale: 86 -
($30) Dark red. Varietally accurate aromas of bitter cherry, redcurrant, fresh tobacco and mint. Firm and juicy on
the palate, with slightly clenched red berry and bitter chocolate flavors. Tightly wound on the back, finishing on a
tangy note of cranberry. 2002 Dog Ridge Shiraz DV7 McLaren Vale: 89 -
($30) Deep ruby. Expressive aromas of blackberry, plum, dark chocolate, oak spices and sweet tobacco, plus a
whiff of leather. Solidly structured but not hard, with flavors of sweet berries and kirsch. Soft, sweet and long on
the finish, which shows supple tannins and no hard edges. 2002 Dog Ridge Shiraz MVP McLaren Vale: 91? -
($85) Medium ruby. Brooding, powerful scents of blackberry, cassis and chocolate, with a serious whack of
vanillin oak and its attendant spices. Suave, lush and concentrated, with dense, sweet flavors of blackberry
preserve, kirsch and coffee liqueur along with strong but sexy oak notes. Finishes lush and long, with bright dark
berry and candied raspberry flavors. There's obviously superb material here, and it's impossible not to impressed
by the wine's components, but I'd have love to have found a kill switch for the oak. (One of the top-rated red wines in Josh Raynolds' recent Australian coverage in the IWC & rated above Penfold's Grange)
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine
Cellar
SANTÉ WINE FESTIVAL
Toronto, Canada – May 2004
DogRidge DV7 McLaren Vale Shiraz 2001 – TROPHY: Best Red Wine
SANTÉ WINE FESTIVAL
Toronto, Canada – May 2005
DogRidge DV7 McLaren Vale Shiraz 2002 – TROPHY: Best Red Wine
DogRidge
Click
here to download the June 16, 2008 - Episode 23