Put Another Shrimp On The Barbie… And Keep It There For 9 Years.

And while the above picture is mouth-watering, this post has nothing to do with barbecued shrimp.  What it does have to do with is an interesting/rare Australian wine experience…

This was the pitch from my buddy Steve at K&L Wine Merchants.  He asked me:  “How often do you get to drink a good, nine-year old Australian wine?”  I had no answer, so I just put it in my cart and went on my way.  (I mean, how often do you get to drink a nine-year old wine period?).  The 2000 Rockford Moppa Springs is a blend of  Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro (a.k.a Mourvedre)  from Rockford Wines.   They’re located in the infamous Barossa Valley wine-growing region of Australia.

This wine was a trip.   It was understated and mellow from start to finish.  The fruit was subdued on the nose as well as on the palate.  It was like dried plums and berries with the secondary characteristics showing up much bigger than usual:  earthy caramel, leather and spices.  …complex and layered, yet somehow seasoned.  The nine years allowed it to slowly mellow and mature.

I honestly can’t say that I loved the wine, but it was an eye-opening experience, and again, how often do you get to drink a nine-year old wine (for 15 bucks by the way).  Another adventure here at WineExpedition.

Wine Enthusiast gave this one a 90, though I’m not sure when it earned that score.