Two Hands Max's Garden Shiraz 2006, Heathcote, South Australia, Australia

I have long been a big fan of Two Hands wines, especially the Garden Series. First enjoyed at a tasting at the Vancouver Wine Show about three years ago. I have two vintages of Bella's Garden and 2 bottles of Sophie's Garden 2008 in my cellar. An earlier wine review was Two Hands Harry and Edward's 2006 on this blog . You can read that review here;

http://paulnjoywine.blogspot.com/2011/04/2006-two-hands-harry-edwards-shiraz.html

Well, this is my first experience with Max's Garden and here are my thoughts. This wine opens up with blackberry, black cherry, prune, espresso, leather, shoe box, cedar, earthy and toasty aromas. On the mouthfeel, big and beefy, not much fruit here but lots of oak, light acidity and silky tannins. Medium length on this Shiraz finish, slightly tart with flavours of bitter chocolate, dark fruit, stewed fruit and baking spices. This wine was aged 14 months in new and seasoned French oak hoghseads with alcohol coming in at 14.5%. My expectation was that a Shiraz from Heathcote would be more aromatic, more elegant with less alcohol but this Max's Garden Shiraz went through way to much toasty oak, killing the poor fruit in the process. Not all Super Premium Garden Shiraz needs to compete in the Heavyweight division, some could be in the Light Heavyweight instead. I am sure you get my drift, let the different regions express themselves to there fullest instead of tasting and feeling the same. This wine felt to extracted and over manipulated, at this price not a great value. Disappointing, score 86 points.  

 

This wine was purchased on June 19, 2011 at the SAQ for $63.50