Hi friends							
 

  When I go on trips to any wine country I naturally want to get 
as much wine into my mouth as possible (it’s my job, man!).  This 
involves not only seeing as many properties as I can but also 
sitting down for lunches and dinners with importers and by ourselves 
and trying to drink different wines that we have not tried.  I had 
a conversation with Ken Onish (president of Southern Starz importing 
company) in which he was praising the wines of the Bendigo district, 
in particular the Shiraz grown there that he imports by the name of 
Passing Clouds.

 

  Located approximately 100 miles north of Melbourne this is one 
of Australia’s prime red-wine producing regions.  Shiraz is the 
grape of note.  Rainfall is typically about 15 inches annually.  
Due to the modest rainfall and the lack of suitable ground water 
yields are held to a natural low level (if you remember from 
previous e-mails, vines that have to struggle produce better fruit).

  Passing Clouds was established about 25 years ago by a gentleman 
named Graeme Leith producing primarily Shiraz (Syrah) on deep sandy 
loam creekflats in Central Victoria about 30 miles northwest of 
Bendigo.  The growing season is warm with very limited rainfall.  
The 15 acre parcel survives on what water it receives during the 
winter months and the ability of the old vines roots to search 
deep to find any sustaining water (that is the purpose of old 
vines-finding water and nutrients).  That is the derivation of 
the name Passing Clouds - they just pass by without leaving any 
moisture.

  Traditional winemaking methods are used including foot stomping 
(yes, they still do that-as a matter of fact I jumped in a vat of 
grapes myself at another property), hand plunging and basket pressing.  
American and French oak is used, and the wine is fined with an egg 
white.

  But enough Ken, you say, what does the wine taste like?  Why don’t 
I let the critics have their say this time.  This wine has been 
reviewed in both Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and in Steve Tanzer’s 
International Wine Cellar.  I personally think this wine is superb.  
First, The Wine Advocate:


 

 
2005  Passing Clouds Shiraz Reserve
A Syrah Dry  Red Table wine from Bendigo,Victoria,Australia 
 
Wine Advocate # 173 (Oct 2007)
Rating: 91 
Drink 2011 - 2027
Cost: $30 
 
The 2005 Passing Clouds Reserve Shiraz was aged for 12 months in 
American oak. Opaque purple, it has a fragrant perfume of cedar, 
pepper, blueberry and blackberry. Full-bodied and supple-textured, 
on the palate the wine is nicely balanced with excellent depth, 
well-concealed tannin, and a 45-second finish. This elegant effort 
will evolve with another 4-6 years of bottle age and drink well 
through 2027. 
________________________________________





      
Next, The International Wine Cellar;

2005 Passing Clouds Vineyard Shiraz Reserve Bendigo  92 
($30) Inky ruby. Intensely aromatic bouquet of boysenberry, kirsch, 
Asian spices and musky underbrush. Round and fleshy, with deeply 
concentrated dark berry flavors, supple tannins and a slow-building 
smoked meat quality. Finishes with palate-staining length. Very 
impressive. 

  Sale Price - $24.99 NET

Cheers,
Ken
Wine Director
Acton Wine & Spirit Co.
 

 
  We reserve the right to consider any orders not picked up within 
thirty days of the order date to be cancelled.  Such wines will be 
returned to open stock and sold off the floor.