Why I Love Shiraz

by Chad Fenton Smith

I have always believed there are (at least) 3 kinds of wine drinkers. There are the white wine drinkers, keen for a Viogner or a chardonnay, cold on a summer’s day. There are the red wine drinkers, who will drink a bottle of red in summer as happily as they would in the cold depths of winter. And then there are Shiraz lovers. Those madmen who get a gleam in their eye when they tell you (or anyone who will listen) about their latest discovery. You’ll overhear them at parties and dinners, distantly mumbling something about “...balance, great balance and oak, just enough oak, oh and the FRUIT, perfect ripe fruit…” You know the ones? The wine nuts?

Cellar door tasting was how I discovered my own addiction for the good, heavy powerful stuff. If you have never been cellar door tasting (I seriously hope most people have!), it can be a whole lot of fun and very rewarding. For your first few times it’s best to go along with the cellar door staff, “Sure, I’ll start with the Merlot” or the Grenache or the Petit Verdot, follow it up with the cabernets and blends, and then the Shiraz to complete. Later, as you become more confident and know what it is you want to buy, you can ask them just to try the one you’re after (shiraz!) point to the one you want to buy on the price list with joy (shiraz!) and walk away with your box of whatever (shiraz?) while others are just getting started.

I once thought it may be the alcohol in my blood by the time Shiraz came around that almost always led me to say ‘Hell, that’s good. Yep, I like it. I’ll take a dozen.” However, the power and the depth of Shiraz is the reason I always seem to keep coming back. That mouth-filling sensory overload of tastes and textures, ripe fruit, soft tannins and a decent helping of oak to balance it all off… when you find that wine, that one bottle that makes you smile from ear to ear, that fills your mouth and leaves you with a sense of satisfaction that other wines cannot, then you may just be a Shiraz drinker for the rest of your life.

Of course other wines are fantastic as well, a spicy Grenache with a handful of smoked almonds, or a light and easy Merlot with a great pasta dish, and of course the perfect cabernet sauvignon… none of these or the many other fabulous wine varieties should ever be overlooked just because they aren’t Shiraz! Although, while I do attempt food and wine matching with other varieties, absolutely anything goes with a good Shiraz!

With my love of Shiraz now declared I have somehow found myself, merely an ordinary office worker, producing a small batch of the glorious stuff in McLaren Vale. Working in a less than rewarding job as Sales Manager in the (not so glamorous) rainwater tank industry, I became bored and dreamed of other things. During the vintage of 2005, I saw winemaker after winemaker from the Vale come through the gates of our factory to buy fermenting tanks and tubs. Every single day, with dirty red-stained hands (and lips) red-stained jeans and crimson-soaked shoes.

And always, without fail, with smiles on their faces.

It was at this time that, after enjoying quality wines at the consumer end of the market for some years, I decided to seek work experience with one of these smiling, happy creatures. My first contact was with a gentleman from Arakoon wines, a small winery in McLaren Vale. I begged him to let me come and see his set-up and maybe do some free work experience for him, to which he agreed. (reluctantly, after shaking me off his leg and beating me away with a stick)

My first impression of Redhead’s was a mixture of excitement, action and a fair bit of chaos. (Actually, mostly chaos). There were around a dozen people here and there, all working and talking (yelling) in different accents, there were grapes and juice and mess everywhere. I found the person responsible for this pandemonium and I was soon into the action, suddenly helping to fork several tones of grapes into a small crusher by pitchfork. Red flesh and juice splashed onto my clean jeans, my inadequate shoes quickly became sticky, wet and cold.

The winery was small… very small in fact. I quickly discovered there was not much work experience for me here, although Ray showed me around and apologized for not being able to give me anything. But he mentioned, almost as an afterthought, that I should try a place called Redhead’s near McLaren Flat; maybe they could keep me occupied until this bizarre curiosity for winemaking subsided. I said my thanks and headed in the direction of this Redhead’s.

A few hours later with crushing complete, I was asked to hand ‘plunge’ several 2 ton tanks of fermenting grapes. This is the moment the skin on my hands first became stained a lovely shade of pink with red wine juice (my hands stayed this pink color for the next 3 weeks, yet I never complained). This was also the moment that I decided, this is for me. The smells of carbon monoxide, and yeast, and the feel of warm must on my hands… that first afternoon I had agreed to buy (somehow, with no money) a half ton of Shiraz grapes from a local grower who had fulfilled his contract to a nearby winery and still had bunches left on the vines. My journey as a novice winemaker had begun!

For two weeks I spent most afternoons at Redhead’s, mostly plunging and cleaning up, but also trying to learn as much as I could without getting too much in the way! After 2 weeks I had a hogshead of fabulous local wine sitting patiently, waiting for the right time to be tasted and bottled. And in August this year the end result, to my utter joy and amazement, just happened to be one of those wines that put a smile on my face from ear to ear, fills my mouth with depth and character and mmm…and leaves me with a huge feeling of satisfaction.

All I can say to anyone who is yet to discover that perfect, satisfying drop… keep trying! And visit lots of cellar doors, particularly lesser known wineries as they often hold small surprises!

Chad Fenton-Smith

chadz75@iinet.net.au