Ah, the life of a vintner! Ten years ago, Ms. Kim Longbottom and her husband bought property in the Australian region of Padthaway, part of the Limestone Coast in the southeast of South Australia, and called their estate Henry’s Drive in honor of a long-ago postman from the area. Kim cleverly named the wines, which range from young, easy drinking reds and whites to complex, concentrated Cabernet Savignons, Bordeaux-style blends, and Shiraz, after various postal-related icons or events.
Now I am sitting with Kim and her winemaker Renae Hirsch, a soft-spoken young woman who “speaks grape” with the best of them. The reason for the meet-up is that Henry’s Drive wines will be coming to the U.S. and they want to build awareness of their brand.
Our tasting begins with “The Postmistress” Blanc de Blanc, a sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay. Then we have “Morse Code Chardonnay,” a barely oaked style that is clean and linear.
Of course, my interest was firmly planted in the reds, as Australia is Shiraz’s natural home. Now the Morse Code Shiraz is their entry level wine, sourced from the Estate’s Padthaway vineyards. The soils in this area are varied, including red loam, black loam, and deep sod over limestone. The 2008 vintage is quite the bargain considering the terroir, just $8.99.
A step up in price is the Shiraz/Cabernet/Merlot blend called Pillar Box Red, with aromas of blueberry, licorice, and dried mint. Kim tells me it is named after the red postal boxes that used to dot the Australian landscape. I like the wine, and am getting into the whole postal system branding concept.
Now there is something I really like about the Pillar Box Reserve Shiraz. It is black and inky and looks and, to some degree, palate, which always tips me off in blind tasting I am about to encounter a new world Shiraz/Syrah. The wine has lots of concentrated rich fruit, and this wonderful black licorice component. Great with lamb.
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