South West Life

Last review I gave a little introduction to Amberley Estate and the Chimney Brush range that they produce.  The Chenin Blanc is clearly a winner amongst West Aussie wine drinkers, so I thought that this time I should spend a little time looking at one of the red wines in the range – the Chimney Brush 2007 Shiraz.

When you stick your nose into a glass of this Shiraz, the aromas of stewed red fruits - strawberry and ripe red cherries,  are very prominent, leading you to believe that the wine will be quite rich and robust.  There are some black pepper spice notes present, with a slight gaminess coming through, indicative of the oak treatment in the wine. 

However, from the bouquet to the palate the story takes a quick turn.  Yes, the red fruit characters have come through to the palate, but are much lighter than you expect from the first impressions on the nose, and that hint of pepper and spice give it some lift.  The wine has some soft, powdery tannin, and a resinous oak character, that does slightly mask the fruit on the finish.  Still, the wine, given its lighter style, and supple mouth-feel, does make for very easy drinking, which is where this Chimney Brush range of wines from Amberley have found their niche.

At a retail price of $14.50, this wine can be found at most wine retailers across the state.  Otherwise, feel free to visit Amberley’s Cellar Door, located on the corner of Thornton and Wildwood Roads in Yallingup.