Wine Review: Greg Norman Estates
2006 Limestone Coast Shiraz
by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com

Greg Norman’s myriad of successes off the golf course are well documented. As a testament to his superior business mind, this Hall of Fame golfer’s off-course ventures have far surpassed his seldom paralleled highlight reel on the links.

And, as today’s top golfers on the PGA Tour often lend their names to wine, few boast the quality vintages offered by The Shark. Here at London Ontario Golf, we have reviewed a number of outstanding reds from Norman. Add Greg Norman Estates’ 2006 Limestone Coast Shiraz to that mix. One tasting, and this vibrant, dark crimson wine became an instant favourite.

The 2006 Limestone Coast Shiraz boasts tasting notes of dark plum, cherry and blueberry, balanced with light cedar and vanillin oak nuances – plus a dash of spice. It has a rounded, soft, silky textured palate with slightly savoury tannins and good length. This is a Shiraz with a robust yet non-overbearing balance which lends itself to drinking excellent now, but will reward careful cellaring for three to eight years.

We couldn’t wait for cellaring – in fact, we couldn’t wait for dinner, as we sampled this Shiraz with appetizers consisting of Portobello mushrooms grilled with olive oil and Feta cheese. Simply a delicious pairing. This wine, from winemaker Alex MacKenzie, finishes with rich dark berry fruit and delicate spearmint and herbs and would be perfect paired with a variety of entrées. We finished our wine with grilled venison steaks, and it made for a delightful evening on the patio in late-May.

The fruit for this 2006 Shiraz was sourced from vineyards in Padthaway, Coonawarra and Wrattonbully, all situated in the Limestone Coast region in southeast South Australia. The rich, red soils that overlay this region’s hard limestone rock make for dark, rich, full-bodied Shiraz fruit with extra finesse. The individual vineyard parcels of fruit were harvested then fermented separately in rotary and static fermenters, and the juice gently moved over the skins to extract the rich colours and flavours from the skins. The wine was then pressed off the skins and selected parcels were matured for 18 months in new and seasoned French and American oak barriques.

This is a personal favourite amongst Greg Norman Estates’ offerings, and I’m sure you’ll love it, too. With summer finally upon us, I cannot think of a finer evening than one which includes good company, good food and the 2006 Limestone Coast Shiraz.

Tasting Notes
Region/Country: Limestone Coast, Australia
Alcohol: 14.5%
pH: 3.45
Total Acidity: 5.87
Winemaker: Alex MacKenzie
Cellaring: Excellent drinking now but will reward careful cellaring for 3-8 years
Price: $24.95, Vintages Essentials, LCBO #575092, available only through summer 2009