Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Do I see a little bit of Côte-Rôtie in the 2013 Langmeil Hangin' Snakes? Probably not, but what I do taste here is a pretty fine Shiraz and with its accent of a small percentage of Viognier, the wines comes across with excellent and complex elegance. So it doesn't matter to me whether this wines comes from the Rhône Valley, the Barossa or anywhere else on the globe, this wine is delicious! Medium to deep garnet in color; fine, red berries, with a fresh fruitiness in the flavors; medium to full bodied, delivers actively on the palate; dry, nice acidity, well balanced, kind of chewy and soft on the palate; pretty, red fruits in the aftertaste. (Tasted: February 29, 2016, San Francisco, CA)
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Historically and presently the most important wine-producing region of Australia, the Barossa Valley is set in the Barossa zone of South Australia, where more than half of the country’s wine is made. Because the climate is very hot and dry, vineyard managers work diligently to ensure grapes reach the perfect levels of phenolic ripeness.
The intense heat is ideal for plush, bold reds, particularly Shiraz on its own or Rhône Blends. Often Shiraz and Cabernet partner up for plump and powerful reds.
While much less prevalent, light-skinned varieties such as Riesling, Viognier or Semillon produce vibrant Barossa Valley whites.
Most of Australia’s largest wine producers are based here and Shiraz plantings date back as far as the 1850s or before. Many of them are dry farmed and bush trained, still offering less than one ton per acre of inky, intense, purple juice.