2006 Old Plains Shiraz Longhop Mount Lofty Ranges
($16) Inky purple. Fresh raspberry and blueberry on the nose, with sexy vanillin oak and baking spices adding complexity. Explosive blue and dark berry flavors are strikingly deep and sweet, with no obvious tannins and zero herbal character to distract from the fruit. Not a complex wine but utterly delicious, with a gently spicy finish featuring persistent red and dark berry flavors.
2006 Old Plains Longhop Grenache Old Vine Adelaide Plains
($26) Dark red. Fresh red berries and rose on the nose, with a touch of mocha adding interest. A sweet, silky midweight whose vibrant strawberry and raspberry flavors are gently lifted by bright minerality. Finishes bright and crisp, with an intense repeating note of red berry preserves. Really delicious stuff.
2005 Old Plains Longhop Old Vine Reserve Adelaide Plains
($40; 65% cabernet sauvignon and 35% shiraz) Opaque ruby. Powerful kirsch and cassis scents, with deeper licorice and espresso notes arriving with aeration. Fleshy dark berry flavors verge on liqueur-like but dusty tannins add structure and a touch of dryness. Bitter cherry pit and dark chocolate notes emerge on the long, spicy finish. Seems a bit stern today; will time in bottle soften the edges?
2005 Old Plains Shiraz Power of One Adelaide Plains
($40) Saturated purple. Powerful, liqueur-like blueberry and plum aromas are accented by exotic fruitcake and licorice. Fat and oily, with sweet dark fruit compote flavors, soft tannins and a late kick of clove. Exotic stuff, finishing sweet, velvety and long. This one won't convince traditional palates, though. (Vine Street Imports, Philadelphia, PA)
